Popsicles on the Porch

What are we saying to our daughters.....

2011-06-15T12:52:00.006-06:00

I overheard the girls talking with one another the other day….one tells the other, “you know, little girls don’t have hair underneath their arms. Mommies do, so they need to shave because girls aren’t suppose to have hair on their arms.”

"Ooohh…that’s gross!”~the other chimes in.

Interesting that this conversation also took place the same week that another asked me why I shave my legs and curiously asked me if she could one day shave her legs too. “Sure, one day” I replied. That answer seemed to satisfy her curiosity, so we left it at that.

Innocent questions.

However, after reading this shocking and disturbing article it got me thinking about the messages we might unknowingly send to our captivated little girls who are watching mommy and forming their own ideas about what a woman's body "should" look like.

My first thought after reading this article was, “are you kidding me! A boob job is one thing, but giving a gift certificate for a FUTURE boob job to a 7 year old who hasn’t even hit puberty…absurd!!! What is she thinking?”

While it’s so easy to judge this mom, as I thought about what must have been going through her mind, I had a shift of emotions. I went from outrage to anger to sadness. This poor mom must have a very low view of self, so much so that she is passing on her own insecurities to a daughter who hasn’t even lived long enough to develop yet. It’s really sad when you think about it.

While most of us might find this mother's actions very disturbing, it did get me thinking about the negative self images we all carry in one form or another and how we may be unconsciously passing those on to our girls….something to really think about.

Date Night (4 Kids Later)

2011-06-10T09:10:00.001-06:00

As our family grows, date night looks a little different these days. We're learning how to be a little more intentional and creative in order to get a little more "quality time"... our primary love language.

We've learned this works best when we let the kids in on our plans and explain to them that mommy and daddy are going to have a "date night" at home together. Initially, there used to be protesting, but now the girls really seem to get excited about daddy taking mommy on a date -- even if it is just to the living room! While the boys have no clue of what's going on, Tim really does such a wonderful job of explaining how important it is for mommy and daddy to have some grown up time together.

So here's what it may look like.......The kids are all bathed, have eaten and are all tucked in bed by 8:00pm. The girls are able to stay up a little later and love to camp out in their room together. We help them have their own movie experience complete with popcorn and candy providing they stay in their room while mommy and daddy have their date.

On occasion, Tim fires up the grill and we have a low lit dinner on the porch followed by a movie we've been wanting to see.

We haven't gotten into the whole Netflix thing yet, but I am a little curious about it, so if you use it, what has your experience been?

The other night we watched Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow and Garret Hedlund. I was a little reluctant to watch it, but you can't really go wrong with Gwyneth Paltrow....she's such a great actress.

While the movie did not disappoint, what I loved most was the movie soundtrack. Gwyneth did a great job and I absolutely loved Garret's deep piercing voice. I'd never really heard of Leighton Meester either, but am slowly becoming a fan. ; )

Needless to say, the Country Strong Soundtrack is on repeat around the Barosh home these days. Here is my favorite, "Timing is Everything" followed closely by "Give in to Me".

"Give in to Me"

What are some creative ideas you and your spouse have come up with for dating?

Pruned to Bloom

2011-04-27T08:30:00.002-06:00

Have you ever experienced a season of pruning? Scripture often uses an earthly example to explain a spiritual principle.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15:1-2).”

I came across this tender and thought provoking story by Bunny Wilson that really captures the beauty and importance of pruning in the Christian life.

Once upon a time, there was an old grape branch;

it had been growing in the vineyard for a long time.

One day a new branch was planted in the next row.

The younger branch grew, developed more branches, and bore fruit.

Taking courage one hot summer day,the young branch

looked up at the old branch and said in its squeaky voice,

“It must be great to have people travel from miles

around just to taste the sweetness of your fruit.”

The old branch nodded.

Feeling encouraged, the young branch continued,

“I have been talking with the other branches in the garden,

and they say yours is the sweetest fruit.”

The old branch smiled.

“When I grow up, I want to be just like you!

How can I have sweet fruit like yours?

I’ll do anything you say.”

As the old branch looked down at the young branch,

he remembered the day when, as a young branch himself,

he had asked an old branch the same question.

In his baritone voice,

he gave the young branch the same answer he had received earlier:

“Be willing.”

The young branch mused in frustration,

Be willing?

I tell him I’ll do whatever it takes to have sweet fruit, and all he can say is

“Be willing?"

Then he turned to another branch and

began carrying on what he felt like was meaningful conversation.

Each day there was constant chatter in the vineyard

as the branches shared the latest gossip

and wasted the hours away by comparing the sweetness of their fruit.

The young branch knew there was no other place he’d rather live.

One cool autumn morning,

the young branch was awakened by the sound of the

old brown, weathered gate opening.

As he looked at the end of the row, in stepped the gardener.

Normally when the gardener came to visit,

the vines would clap their leaves together and shout in delight.

But something unusual was taking place that day.

A hush swept over the garden.

The young branch glanced over at the old branch,

who didn’t seem to be disturbed;

so the young branch directed his attention back to the end of the row.

The gardener stopped by the first branch in the row;

the young branch was sure he had come to compliment his friend on her fine growth. But watching intently, he saw the gardener bend on one knee,

reach into his back pocket, pull out what looked like sharp scissors,

and move toward his friend.

Instinctively the branch at the end of the row pulled her leaves back,

and the young branch heard her plead,

“No, no, why are you doing this to me?

Haven’t I been sweet? Didn’t I bring honor to the garden?

Please, please, don’t do this to me!”

Before the young branch could blink,

his friend lay on the ground except for the nub.

The young branch turned to the old branch and asked in a low, fearful voice,

“What’s happening? Why did the gardener do that?”

The old branch did not respond.

The young branch strained to understand and then blurted out,

“Oh I get it! We thought the gardener liked that branch, but he really didn’t like her.”

The old branch responded, “No, that’s not true. In fact, what you just saw the gardener do proves he loves that branch.”

“Oh. I knew that. Let me try again. We thought that branch’s fruit was sweet,

but it really wasn’t sweet.”

“That branch’s fruit was sweet.”

“Okay, okay; I know the real reason. That branch did something wrong,

so the gardener is punishing her; he’s just not telling us why.”

The old branch answered, “That branch is not being punished. Listen carefully—your friend is being pruned. Not because she was trying to do things wrong,but because she was trying to do things right. Not because her fruit was sweet,

but because the gardener wants it to be even sweeter.”

“But that doesn’t seem fair!” protested the young branch.

“Just look at her. She’s been cut down to the nub. Now all the people who come to taste the sweetness of her fruit will laugh and judge the branch.”

“Only those outside the garden who don’t understand will laugh and judge the branch.”

“Only those outside the garden who don’t understand? That branch didn’t understand!

Did you hear her say, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’”

The old branch was quiet for a long time and then responded slowly,

“Unfortunately, what you are saying is true. It’s one thing when people outside the garden don’t understand, but when those inside the garden—especially the ones being pruned—don’t understand, it causes a lot of confusion, disappointment, and pain.

Those branches down at the end of the row will have to listen to your friend murmur and complain until she blooms again.”

The young branch proclaimed, “Well, you don’t have to worry about being pruned. You have the sweetest fruit in the garden!”

“I want to be pruned.”

“You what? It must hurt, and you’re going to look funny.”

The old branch chuckled and replied,

“I must admit it’s quite uncomfortable. You see, my young friend, I know I look good to you,but I have a fungus growing on my underside that no one can see.

If it remains, it will diminish the quality and quantity of my fruit. No, when the gardener comes to prune me, I won’t pull my leaves back. I’ll lift myself high in the air to make his job easier.”

Trembling, the young branch responded, “I don’t understand.”

With compassion, the old branch replied,

“Did you see that branch the gardener just tore off and threw over the fence?

It didn’t belong in this garden at all and will be burned in the fire.”

“Wow!” exclaimed the young branch.

“When the gardener comes to prune you, remember that the gardener only prunes the branches that belong to him, which makes it an honor.

He doesn’t prune you because you’re trying to do things wrong,

but because you’re trying to do things right.

It’s not because you’re not sweet,

but because he wants you to be sweeter.

And always remember, my young friend,

the very fact that you’re being pruned means you will bloom again.”

Just then the gardener stopped by the old branch,

and the young branch saw the old branch raise his leaves high in the air.

He heard a snip, and the old branch lay on the ground except for the nub.

Then the gardener turned to the young branch.

His leaves were shaking, and tears rolled down his side,

but with every ounce of strength he raised his leaves high in the air.

He looked up into the gardener’s face and said,

“Kind and gentle gardener, I’m willing.”

While not always pleasant, pruning is essential in growing a vineyard. In fact, every year up to 90% of the vine is cut away! "A wise gardener knows that pruning positively affects the quantity and quality of the fruit produced."

According to Bunny Wilson, we usually find ourselves in one of three places:

1. We have just been pruned
2. We are growing back after pruning
3. We are in full bloom

Where do you find yourself in the pruning process?

If you're in a season of pruning,be encouraged that in the midst of our struggles, there is one who can identify with us.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities,

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Like the young branch, may we too raise our branches high and willingly submit ourselves into the hand's of our kind and gentle Gardener.

Laying Down The Rails

2011-04-06T14:15:00.001-06:00

For those of you who know me, you know that I love to read! I am a researcher at heart. This is a favorite on my bookshelf. I find myself from time to time coming back to this wonderful reference book by Charlotte Mason, called Laying Down The Rails. If you've never heard about Charlotte Mason you can learn more about her here.

Charlotte emphasized the importance of character building and habit training and likened it to laying down rails on which our children's lives could run smoothly.

This book is chalked full of so many wonderful nuggets and quotes. Here is one of my favorite quotes:

"The Mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days."

Smooth and easy days! Isn't that something we all want? Yet, the implication here is that without the hard work of training, discipline, and etc...our days will be anything but smooth and easy.

If you'd like to learn more about habit and character training this book is a must have for sure! Habits are divided into 5 easy to reference sections along with practical suggestions and how to's in the following areas:

Decency and Propriety Habits
Mental Habits
Physical Habits
Moral Habits
Religious Habits

“Just as it is on the whole easier for the locomotive to pursue its way on the rails than to take a disastrous run off them, so it is easier for the child to follow lines of habit carefully laid down than to run off these lines at his peril. It follows that this business of laying down lines towards the unexplored country of the child’s future is a very serious and responsible one for the parent. It rests with him to consider well the tracks over which the child should travel with profit and pleasure; and along these tracks, to lay down lines so invitingly smooth and easy that the little traveler is going upon them at full speed without stopping to consider whether or not he chooses to go that way”~Charlotte Mason

You can find Laying Down the Rails here. For more Charlotte Mason Stuff, be sure to check out www.simplycharlotte.com

Mel

Portrait of A Foolish Woman

2011-03-25T08:31:00.003-06:00

"She has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men." (Proverbs 7:26)

The portrait of a foolish woman is painted in great detail in proverbs 7. Most presume the foolish woman presented here is the adulterous or promiscuous woman. We skip over this passage assuming it doesn't really speak to us.

However, as I was reading through this chapter I was surprised at how this verse relates to so many of us; not just the adulterous woman.

I love how God breathes a fresh word into old and familiar passages!

As was highlighted in chapter 5 of Biblical Womanhood in The Home,"although we may not be physically adulterous or promiscuous, most of us have unwittingly adopted some of the characteristics that ultimately could lead to the ruin and downfall of the men around us."

Nancy DeMoss goes on to say:

"The Foolish woman can be an instrument of casting down many men. She may do so by means of sexual seduction (as the woman in proverbs 7), OR she may do so subtly, by means of discouragement, spiritual pride or intimidation."

Wow! What a sobering truth that "I could be the instrument of any man's undoing, no matter how strong he might be! Even men who are spiritually mature can be brought down, controlled, wounded, and destroyed--by a foolish woman."

As I reflect on my relationship with Tim and my role as a pastor's wife, the weight of this can be very challenging at times. There isn't a "rule book" given to Pastor's wives to know how to fulfill your pastor's wife duties, yet there is an unspoken one that exists. It can be difficult living in the tension of people's expectations of you and what the Bible calls us to.

As I think about the call God has on my husband's life as a pastor, I realize the huge part I play as his helpmate. It's sobering to think that I could intentionally or unintentionally "cast down" the mighty man God is creating and calling him to be. Not to mention, the effect I could have on his ministry and the calling he has been given. Wow! Talk about accountability! I can choose to be his cheerleader or the anchor that "cast him down." Ultimately, it is my choice and one that I will have to give an account for.

Questions I often have to ask myself are: How do I build him up? How do I honor and respect him as the spiritual leader of our home? How do I honor him in front of others and behind closed doors? How am I at cheering him on and praying with and for him?

You may not be a pastor's wife, but you too are called to be your husband's helpmate. How are you honoring him, cheering him on and praying that God uses him in a mighty way? As you imagine yourself before the Lord one day, would you be considered a wise woman or a foolish woman?

I shudder at the thought of having to give an account for being a woman who "cast down" her husband.

Challenging read Ladies!

"Remember the Alamo!"

2011-03-23T11:06:00.001-06:00

March 2nd was Texas Independence Day! Knowing we had a trip planned to San Antonio I decided to capitalize on both and strayed a little from our normal curriculum to do a study of Texas history!

The kids had fun learning about The Texas Lone Star Flag, our state bird, and flower!

We also checked out some great books from the library and had fun

learning about heros like Davy Crockett!

The girls really enjoyed learning about the Alamo, but there is nothing like seeing the real thing in person! Isa was especially ecstatic when she spotted Old Betsy, Crockett's rifle on display. I of course enjoyed seeing them ooh and ahh as they connected the events we had been learning about.

Here are the girls having fun shooting their own pics with their cameras!

2011-03-16T10:18:00.016-06:00

How we Found Classical Conversations:

Have you ever known you were “supposed” to do something, but were scared to take that next step? Isn’t it amazing how fear and doubt can creep in and keep you from all the good things God has in store for you on the other side? All the “what ifs” seem to flood your mind i.e. “what if I mess up, what if I can’t do it,

what if,

what if!!!

It’s a battle for your mind and heart! A test!

What will you choose?

Will you choose to stay put because it’s safer, it’s easier, more comfortable, it makes the most sense, and etc….

In every major season of my life, there has always been a battle for my mind and heart. This is where I found myself yet again when I felt the call to homeschool.

Even though I was convinced of the educational and spiritual advantages to homeschooling (see previous post), I was still afraid to let go. The thought of swimming against the culture (even Christian) was really scary. But, just because something is the “norm,” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the right thing. Public education was not right for our family because God had distinctly moved in our hearts and called us to be a homeschooling family. Therefore, it would have been wrong for my family to go public. We would have been deliberately disobeying the word God had given to us.

However, as the new school year was approaching, I started doubting the word God had spoken to our hearts. The "what ifs" flooded my mind. I recognized this battle for my heart and mind unfolding before me as I had been there many times before. Yet, despite my fear and lack of faith, God still met me. I love His patience with us!

He knew I needed a little push out there and that’s just what He did!

How God Continued to confirm His word in our hearts

My family was in the middle of a big move. If you’ve ever experienced a move with little ones in tow (including a newborn), then you know just how difficult it can be.

Not wanting to put my 5yr old in kindergarten, just to uproot her in a few short months, I knew it was time to take that leap of faith. God was pushing me out there and using our move to do so! I finally had the courage to step out in faith. Besides, I thought, "how bad could I mess up kindergarten?!!" ; )

Little did I know that selling our house in such a tough market would take 10 long grueling months. I say grueling because my husband had to commute every day 1.5hrs each way for 10 months! We’re talking almost 1 full year!! It was brutal; especially having such small children and a newborn in the mix.

Despite the challenges of moving, we had a very successful first year homeschooling. My kindergartner learned how to read in just four short months, was writing well, and really loving learning in general. I couldn’t have asked for a better year!

My husband was very impressed with the results of our first year homeschooling and encouraged me to try another year. He wanted to see what another year would look like now that our move was behind us. I was curious too, but still a little nervous. Fear started to creep back into my heart. Kindergarten was one thing, but how far would we take this? I began doubting the word God had put in my heart, yet again.

Sidenote: Do you ever feel like an Israelite? They were a bunch of whining babies always forgetting God’s miracles? Always grumbling about all the whys and hows?

Oh wait….that sounds like me!

Fear of the unknown had crept back in. I was just so scared to have the education of my children rest solely in my hands. I know that sounds terrible, but I am a product of the public system, it’s all I’ve ever known. Yet, the reality is, there are other ways. We do have other viable options.

Needless to say, going against the grain was causing me to have to “unlearn” a few things. Not only was I learning how to homeschool, juggling the storms of fear, but then the infamous “what about socialization?” question crept in.

I know this is the first question that most people ask in opposition to homeschooling, but honestly that had always been the furthest from my mind. My children are highly social, boisterous and competitive little beings that aren’t afraid of meeting new people, and love to talk your ear off if given the chance! With our involvement in church and other extra-curricular activities and friends we hoped to make in our new neighborhood, I knew my kids would have plenty of opportunities in time.

However, the “in time” part was the problem. My children had left behind all of their old friends. Developing relationships takes time. It's hard to make friends in a new place and takes even more intentionality when you homeschool. I wanted my kids to jump in and feel connected so badly, I rationalized that it would be much “easier” and “better” for them to go to the local public school. However, in my heart, I knew I was wrong. God had been directing my steps and now I was faced with a whole new bunch of “what ifs!”

Fear brings doubt. It causes you to question God and exalt your own strength instead of His. It blinds you from the truth and keeps you from doing what you know God has called you to do. (Can we say disobedience!)

I was SCARED!!! Summer was coming to an end and the new school year was starting. I needed answers and I needed them fast! I began pouring my heart out to God and begging him to confirm the word He had given me.

The next day, I received an e-mail from a friend, whom I hadn't spoken with in quite some time. She e-mailed me out of the blue just to tell me about a new program that her family had started. She said she thought I might be interested and gave me the website for Classical Conversations (CC). After reading through the information, I knew this was exactly what I had been praying for! I couldn’t believe it!

Then it hit me. I was slowly connecting the dots that another trusted family friend had once mentioned CC to us about a year prior to this unexpected e-mail. God had planted that seed back then through another friend, and a year later had redirected me back to CC .

As I read through the material it seemed like God put before me everything I had been looking for. It was first and foremost Christ centered, economical, and not only was there an opportunity for families to connect socially, but there was a strong sense of accountability and a challenging academics program with a biblical worldview. This is what I had been looking for!

I knew God was speaking.

And wouldn't you know the very next day after receiving that e-mail, I had plans to attend my first homeschooling convention. It was there, that I had the opportunity to speak with a CC director to learn more about the program. Afterwards, I felt a sense of peace and joy. I knew God was speaking and working on my behalf!

With tears in my eyes, I turned to leave and was surprised when I looked up and saw two familiar faces coming my way. It was a couple I had known and worked with several years before. I hadn’t talked with them in years, much less did I know they were a homeschooling family. God had brought familiar faces and a safe place to share my heart. I shared with them what God had been doing and how scared and unsure I was to take the next step. After listening, they encouraged my heart and the new adventure God was leading me on. It was another sense of peace that God was giving me. Some might call all of this coincidence, but I know better.

God speaks when we take time to seek and listen!

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you. Matthew 7:7

This has been our first year in CC and though our community is still forming, my girls have learned so much! I am overjoyed to be a part of their learning process and so thrilled to be a part of their “light bulb” moments. Sure we have tough days, but anything worthwhile is never easy! We hope to kick off the upcoming school year with committed families and can't wait to see what God has in store for us on this great adventure we call homeschooling! ; )

"So I need 13 more birthdays until....."

2011-03-14T11:41:00.006-06:00

Since our big girl's birthday is a few months away she has been thinking through things she wants for her birthday and "future" birthdays. Oh goodness! The other day while we were playing at the park she randomly articulated her request for a....

While her math is a little off, I'm thinking 18 sounds good to me! Tim thought it would be a good idea to capture it on video just in case she should ever need help remembering how many birthdays she has left to go! : )

Who Me? Homeschool??

2011-03-09T23:29:00.007-06:00

I never thought in a million years that we’d be a homeschooling family, let alone that I’d be a Director for this awesome program! I wanted to share my journey on how God led us to this exciting adventure and hope that it encourages those who may be considering homeschooling too!

It was NEVER on my radar to home-school. N-E-V-E-R!!! I was the typical person who thought homeschooling was weird. Besides, I thought, “what qualifies me to be a teacher?” Sure, I have a degree, but being a certified teacher is a entirely different story.

So, how did homeschooling get on my radar? Simply put... God broke my heart.
As my oldest child began reaching the school age years, something in me just wanted more! I don’t know why, other than God just put that desire in me. So, I decided to do a little research. I consumed just about every homeschooling book I could, I read blogs, went to conferences and picked the brain of many homeschooling mothers. The more I learned, the more God began to challenge every preconceived notion I had about homeschooling.

Through my research, it was easy to see the educational and siritual benefits to homeschooling, but there were still a few hang-ups I had. The first I have already mentioned above and that is...

1.    What qualifies me to be a teacher and educator for my child?

And the second was…..

2. How would Homeschooling allow us to Live on Mission? How could we effectively share our lives and tell people about Jesus if our children were not in a “public” setting?
As my husband and I began to ask God these questions, it became very clear for us where He was leading our family.

1.   What qualifies me to be a teacher and educator for my children?
To my surprise, this question was rather easy for me to work through. Becoming a mom has made me more in tune with the "others" in my life. As moms, God has given us the ability to know what is best for our children. From the moment I knew I had conceived, I have been making decisions for my children and providing for all of their spiritual, emotional and physical needs. So, I guess it was a natural progression for me to begin thinking about their intellectual needs as well. Why couldn't I take care of their intellectual needs too? Their well being in "every" area of life is my responsibility.

I am convinced that no one is going to care for and love my children more than me. No one will care more about their success and their well being than their own mother. Plain and simple. Aside from God, I am and will always be their biggest fan!

Therefore, I AM qualified. I certainly do realize my own limitations, but you better believe if there was a subject I couldn’t teach, I would do everything in my power to get them the help, class, teacher, and etc…they need just as I would anything else. That being said, I am also realizing the importance of being a lifetime learner and staying ahead of my pupils. This excites me! I have the opportunity to take advantage of things that I was just too busy or uninterested in before.

I am also discovering how far homeschooling has come and the amazing community of families that resource and network together. Not to mention, God led us to a national homeschooling group whose founder, Leigh Bortins was an aerospace engineer! She is passionate about equipping parents all over the country on how to be home educators, but more on that in a later post. ; )

All of this, coupled with a faith that God prepares those who are called, helps me to have faith in knowing He will prepare me for the tasks ahead, just as He always has.

2. How would Homeschooling allow us to Living on Mission
My husband and I try to actively live our lives on mission. Sharing our lives, building relationships and hopefully building bridges back to the local church. We love to “fish” and want to share this same conviction and passion with our children.

Living on mission is something we are VERY passionate about, but how would homeschooling allow us to live out this conviction? In the beginning, I had a hard time reconciling how we could effectively live on mission if we were not allowing our children to be among those who are lost and don’t know Jesus.

Living on mission is not defined by a specific place, but rather how we live each and every moment of our lives. We live on mission with our families, our friends, at gymnastics, at baseball practice, at the gym, at the check out line, in the parking lot, taking a walk around the neighborhood just so you can meet your neighbors, being keenly aware of the lost and hurting right around you and then responding to their needs, and etc…It’s not about a specific setting like a school. It is your lifestyle! I want to teach my children to have this “other” centered lifestyle everyday regardless of where they are.

Tim and I firmly believe and see our children as little disciples in training. Just as an athlete trains everyday for a race, our children are also in training. An athlete has no idea what it’s like to compete until he actually gets out there and does it. With that being said, he doesn’t jump out onto the field without training before the big day. No, he must first spend time practicing, drilling, exercising, studying, and etc...

My kids are learning about Jesus. They are disciples in training. They are learning “about” Jesus but they don’t “know”, “know”, “know” Him just yet. They have head knowledge about God, but haven’t yet had the heart experience.

They need both. Without this, how can I expect them to properly take a stand against sin when it presents itself? How can I send them to a battlefield when they haven’t fully learned how to put on the full armor of God yet?

They need to have a proper knowledge and understanding that God is who He says He is. As they begin to experience this truth for themselves, they will learn how to recognize His voice, see Him at work around them and discover His unique plan for their lives. When they have truly experienced this, they will have the strength and more importantly the desire, to live out their faith in a world that blatantly sets itself up against the knowledge of God.

I’m not saying they will always make the right choices. While that might be my hope, I am not that naïve. As I began wrestling with God through these tough questions what convicted my heart the most is the process of building. Building a strong foundation takes time and it’s hard to build when outside influences are pulling for their attention all day, every day.

Am I sheltering? No, I don’t believe that sheltering is the answer, rather it is being cautious and cognizant of the fallen world we live in. Matthew 10:16 says, “See I am sending you like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

I love the way Dr.Voddie Baucham articulates this thought, “Our children will engage the culture. The only question is, will they do so as lambs going off to slaughter, or will they be sheep among wolves who are wise as serpents and innocent as doves?" (Matthew 10:16)

This is not a post to convince you to homeschool, although I hope it may have encouraged those who may be considering it. If you are indeed considering it, but still scared to let go, my encouragement to you would be to visit with other homeschooling moms, sit in on their homeschooling days, and keep reading anything and everything you can about homeschooling.

Most importantly pray! And keep praying until God gives you peace one way or another. I wouldn’t say homeschooling is for everyone, but I do believe it should be seriously considered, researched and prayed about by everyone! ; )

Whoever said walking with Jesus was dull and boring!
Loving the journey!

Mel

What's Your Definition of Success?

2011-02-08T09:54:00.001-06:00

What is your typical stereotype of being a stay-at-home-mom? The above photo pretty much summed up mine.

Over the years, I have met many women who knew from the start that they wanted to stay at home full time. Their dream was simply to be a wife and mother. I remember meeting some of these gals back in college and thinking to myself, “If that’s all you want to do, then why are you here? Seriously, why are you wasting your money…or worse, your parents money.”

I just didn’t get it. If I’m being real, my honest thoughts were, “man, what a waste of time, talent and money.”

There was something in me that just wanted “more.” I guess if I’m real honest, I had a lot of the world in me that simply did not esteem the stay-at-home-mom. My pride made me believe that I had more “ambition, more drive.” I had more to offer than changing diapers, wiping snotty noses and being a full time maid.

However, after the birth of my second child, God really began challenging my heart to use my time and the gifts that “He” gave me to better serve the members of my own family; to give them my focused attention…not just my leftovers.

That’s such a strong word, but in my story, it’s the truth. My attention, my heart was divided. I wanted to give 100% of myself as a mom and 100% of myself to my work. I wanted to offer the best of "me" in both worlds.  How is that even possible? The math just doesn't add up.

Scripture says, "you cannot serve two masters." (Matthew 6:24).   I know many might not agree and would simply assume it's just a matter of prioritizing and balancing.  I know because I fed myself that same lie for years.

But inevitably, one will make a choice.  

Matthew 6:24 goes on to say... “Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”   Sadly, in our culture today, we are all too willing to lay our families down on the altar of our success, egos, pride, greed and all of the STUFF we think we need...you name it!

As I felt God stirring my heart to stay home, I even began rationalizing the work I was doing. Not only did I LOVE my job, but I was involved in ministry. How could that be a bad thing…right? Why would He ask me to give that up? It seemed like a God thing to me.

However, when we begin to put "every" area of our life underneath the complete authority of scripture, God has a way of really shaking things up! This is where I have been in the last several years concerning my work outside of the home and my family. He's really been shaking my world, my ideals, and etc....

In each season of my Journey, be it a student, a new bride, a new mom, a servant in God's Kingdom, and now a stay-at-home-mom and homeschooler, God continues to whisper to my heart one simple question... "Melanie, what is your definition of success?"

And just when I think I'm there, another season of life causes me to dig deeper and another layer of my heart is peeled back, exposing my sin and beckoning me into deeper waters. And again, another whisper...."Melanie, what's your definition of success, where are your affections?

As hard as it was to let go of a job that I absolutely loved, it was the best decision for my family. God has reconfirmed that over and over again. However, making this decision didn’t come without sacrifice. We had to learn to live on a tighter budget and fight the “me” mentality of bigger, better, more.

It’s not always comfortable and I might not have all the cute home décor I want or all the clothes and shoes my heart desires. However, as I keep my eyes on the “bigger picture,” I am able to live with a kingdom perspective and keep Him in view in all things.

In the grand scheme of things, the time we have with our children is so short. The seasons in your life will come and go. Right now is the season for me to be at home. How long you ask? I don’t know. But, I know when I step back and look at the bigger picture, this season of my life will be a blip, a moment (God willing) when compared to the rest of my life.

James 4:14 says it like this...

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

I’m am learning to stop living in the tomorrow and to seize the blessings right here before me.

Today is the day!

God has burned this reality in my heart and has given me such a passion and a vision for my home and family. I want to seize every opportunity I have with them to influence them and teach them to know, love and obey God.

I know many are not as fortunate to be able to stay home, particularly single parents. If you are a single parent, know that God has not forgotten about you and is first and foremost faithful and able to meet all of your needs.

We all have different stories. God knows your story and will give you the strength to meet the demands for each season of your journey as you seek and call upon him. For others, maybe your story is like mine. My question for you would be one I asked myself….what are you chasing? What is your definition of success? Are you fighting the bigger, better more mentality? Here is an interesting article I found online. It's worth the read!

Today, my definition and worth in life is not defined by the position I have, the number of zeros on my paycheck or the title I hold. While great for my ego they did nothing for my soul.

I am not saying that one that has these things cannot love God. I am simply sharing my story and how God peeled back the layers of my heart to help me see my deepest desires. At the root of it all was a heart that believed I was not really anything until I had achieved all the things above. When in reality, I am everything in my maker’s eyes. So, much so that he sent His only son to die for me.

I cared about making a name for myself and let’s face it, I desired the esteem that comes with those things. When in reality, I bare the name of my heavenly father, a daughter of the King who calls me His beloved and is preparing a place for me. I’m already royalty and it is His name I want to esteem and proclaim!

As I filter every season, every opportunity, every decision in light of scripture, my perspective has been challenged, sharpened and redefined.

Darrel Billups said, "The greatest danger in life is to succeed at things that do not matter."

How about you, what are the things you are succeeding at? And do they matter?

Fighting the Me Mentality...(It's not about me continued)

2011-02-01T17:33:00.014-06:00

Remember the words to that good ol' MJ song,

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change his ways,"

I wonder how often we really do this? It's so easy to point out the sin in others, but rarely do we like to hold the mirror up to ourselves. All too often we make excuses. We expect others to change, but rarely do we want to do the work to produce change in our own hearts, in our own lives.

So, this is what God has been doing in my heart. It is here, being a mother that I am learning to fight the "me" mentality. It’s not about me! Whether you’re a mom to four or one, being a mom is about selflessness...plain and simple.

There are many times I would rather be _________, or can't wait until he/she is __________, or I'm just plain exhausted from the demands of the day and ready for the kiddos to get in bed, so that I can have my "me" time.

Ahhh...."me" time! Doesn't that sound so good?

Sometimes, especially towards the end of the day, "me" time just won't get here fast enough. Wanting and needing a "me" time is not all together a bad thing. There are definitely times when one needs to recharge and I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband that supports me in this way, so that I can offer my best.

However, there are other times when I need to stop and ask myself the hard questions.
Why are you rushing through bed time? Was that tone really necessary? Am I expecting too much of my kids? Did I have fun and did I enjoy my kiddos today?

So, this is where I've been...learning how to balance and at other times how to fight the "me" monster. It's a daily fight. Being a mom, continually exposes my sin, my "me" centeredness and continually challenges me to lay down my rights, my wants in order to better serve my family.

Dr. Voddie Baucham, a pastor and theologian defines love as “an act of the will accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of its object..” It’s an act of the will to lay down your rights, your time and your dreams in order to serve those whom God has entrusted to your care.

As I reflect upon this, I am reminded of a book Tim and I read early on in our marriage called Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. The whole premise was about what if God designed marriage not to make us happy, but to make us holy; to expose our sin and draw us closer to Himself. I see that same picture here as I relate to my children. What if God is using motherhood as the setting by which he exposes my sin and draws me closer to himself?

I believe God is using this season of my life and how I relate to my children and husband as a mirror to expose my sin and draw me closer to Him, so that He can reflect his beauty to others! The biggest “others” being my children and husband!

Psalm 139: 13-16 says....
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

My children and the way they are wired is not by accident. God designed them with a unique set of wirings and giftings. It was no accident that He gave them to me to shepherd.

And what if....just WHAT IF...He created them that way and divinely entrusted them to us not only for the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to Him, but also to work out sin in our own lives!

God is using my children and the "way He created them" to grow and stretch me!

When disobedient issues come up or I find myself consumed with those "I would rather be______ or I can't wait until_______ ," moments, I know there is a "me" battle raging within my heart. It is here that God is drawing me to Himself and helping me to grow in patience, selflessness, serving others, perseverance, grace, self control, and etc…

It is in these times that God really shows me where my heart and/or my thinking needs a "God-shift." My prayers are now “Lord, what do you desire to teach ME through this and how can I best instruct my child?

Please, change ME!

Through the awesome and challenging path of motherhood, I am realizing more and more the truth of Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

I need Him and am dependent upon Him to help me be the mother and wife He created me to be. This job is too huge and so much is at stake, but the rewards are ETERNAL! Who would have thought that such an unassuming role like being a mom could be the place for such Kingdom impact. But then again, He did use a carpenter to accomplish His redemptive plan for the whole world!

What if God is using you and your role as a wife and mother...your season at home...your season homeschooling...your season of _________ as the setting by which he exposes your sin and draws you closer to Himself!

IT"S ALL ABOUT ME???

2011-01-19T09:31:00.001-06:00

When Tim and I first got married, we had the typical American dreams and hopes of having a nice home, car, and family; two kids to be exact, one boy and one girl each. Looking back now, this “I’ll take 2” special order kind of request seems so silly (selfish is probably a better word)!

I guess this was the perfect little world I had imagined for myself. However, what I came to discover is that I wanted the blessing of having children without those little blessings interfering too much with my plans, my hopes, my ambitions, and my ideals for achieving success.

It was, well how should I put it...all about ME! ME!! ME!!!

Yikes! That stings.

As Tim and I dreamed together about what our future family would like, here were some of the questions that ran through my mind as I pictured my perfect happy family......

How will having children affect our pocket book? This is a practical question. Afterall, college isn't getting any cheaper.

We won’t be able to just get up and go? Guess we’ll have to kiss those trips to Europe goodbye!

My biggest concern…what affect will a family have on my job/career? How can I manage and juggle both?

It’s taken a while for God to help me see the murky waters of my heart and how it was really all about me. Funny, how it’s so easy to see the junk in others, yet so hard to see it in ourselves. I didn’t realize it at the time and let's face it, probably would have just convinced myself that all my ambitions would benefit my future family. Yea, that's it! No, really....I was doing it all for my family! How can that be selfish...right? What I've come to better understand is that at the root of it all....it was all about ME!!

I am a firm believer in setting goals, don't get me wrong however, as a Christ "follower" how was I actually "following" God? Proverbs 16:9 puts it this way....

A man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

As I take a step back, I realize now that I was unintentionally boxing God in to fit "my" preconceived notions of the perfect family. I wanted Him to fit into my plans and on my terms. Unbeknownst to me, I had bought the lie that said I could "have it all" and that all I had to do was aim high and work harder. The question is...at whose expense? At what cost? All you have to do is look around at the family in today's culture to figure that out. Divorce plagues our society and children suffer greatly. All in the name of ME!!

Johnathan Edwards, one of America's greatest Theologians writes about our passions that move us to action. The following passage really resonated with me and the innerwork God has been doing in me.

The nature of human beings is to be inactive unless influenced by some affecftion: love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, etc.. These affections are the "springs of action," the things that set us moving in our lives, that move us to engage in activities. When we look at the world we see that people are exceedingly busy. It is their affections that keep them busy. If we were to take away their affections, the world would be motionless and dead; there would be no such thing as activity. It is the affection we call covetousness that moves a person to seek worldly profits; it is the affection we call ambition that moves a person to pursue worldly glory; it is the affection we call lust that moves a person to pursue sensual delights. Just as worldly affections are the spring of worldly actions, so the religious affections are the spring of religious actions.

The "me" centered mentality is what ultimately drove me; the desire to achieve and to be known. It resulted in my poor view of family and clouded me from really embracing the beauty of my role as mother to my children and wife to my husband. As God continues to put to death the "me" centered corners of my heart, He is faithful in teaching me that His ways are not my ways. As I reflect on where my affections are it causes me to remain open to what God has for me instead of what I have for myself.

I no longer view family as a weight I have to balance and juggle as I create a place for myself in this world. Rather, God has birthed in me such a passion for my family/home. I want to model for my children a woman who is unashamed of working in her home. A woman who is not willing to sacrifice her family on the altar of her ego or desire to have bigger, better, more. A woman who weighs every opportunity (even ministry opportunities) in light of how it will affect her family and ultimately how it will bring glory to Jesus.

I am a woman who is discovering that my gifts are not dormant simply because I'm at home, but rather God is using and even sharpening these gifts right here among the members of my own family. Futhermore, the lessons learned here will be the tools I need for the seasons yet to come.

As I learn to "follow" Jesus and submit EVERY area of my life to Him, I am discovering more and more the beauty of Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

So what about you...have you found your life?

The road of my life looks different....and I love it! Two kids are now four kids! I think of all the blessings I would have forfeited had I settled for the "Ill take two, that will do" mentality and all I can say is thank you Jesus. Thank you for opening my eyes and softening my heart and challenging this stubborn and prideful woman. Help me to care more about making your name great in my life instead of my own. May that be what truly drives me!

In my next few posts, I will continue to reflect upon where my affections are as it relates to my decision to stay at home full time and my commitment to homeschool...things I thought I'd NEVER do! My oh my has my definition of success been challenged!

Who Would have Thought?

2010-12-20T19:54:00.001-06:00

Ever have those times when you look back on your life and think…man, how did I get here?

As I look back over the years, I am discovering that many things I said I would NEVER do, somehow God has led me to do those very things!

Here are a few things I never thought or said I’d NEVER do!

·    Work in the ministry
·    Have more than 2 children
·    Be a stay at home mom
·    Homeschool
·    Marry a minister

Guess you never say never! ; )

Nothing looks like what I had envisioned and I’m loving it! Who would have ever thought I’d have 4 kids, be a stay at home mom and now a homeschooling director!! Not me that’s for sure!

I am so thankful that God knows the plans He has for me. Plans that are far better than any I could have laid out for myself.

In fact, I know for sure, if left up to me I would have made a complete mess out of things. In my next few posts, I want to take some time to reflect on what God has been working out in my heart and talk about the things that have me smiling and saying… “Who Would Have Thought?” :)

For now, here is an incredible video of one of my favorite speakers and local Houston area Pastor, Voddie Baucham reciting a very thought provoking poem entitled, “Put The Baby In The Beemer.” Though I’ve never owned a Beemer and never really aspired to, the message behind it articulates with such veracity the “it’s all about me mentality” that plagues our culture. As I reflect, I see a woman who was once willing to place my family on the altar of my ego in order to satisfy those deepest desires that not even I knew were there. That is, until God got a hold of my heart and helped me to better understand the precious gift of family that he’s given me and most importantly the value of my role in my home.

A Family Tradition....Celebrating Advent!

2010-11-30T17:55:00.003-06:00

We're celebrating advent! The Jesse Tree is a family tradition we do every year, but this year we're tweaking it just a little.

Since we've already made our Jesse Ornaments from previous years, this year we'll wrap them up and place them underneath the tree. Each night one kid will get to unwrap the ornament followed by that night's scripture reading and devotional and hang it on the tree. Maybe the kids will even get to put on a little skit and act out the story for us. ; )

To find out more about the Jesse Tree read more HERE.

I DID IT!

2010-11-29T16:13:00.003-06:00

I attended my first homeschooling convention this past summer. You know the one, the "mother of all conventions" held in the Woodlands every summer. If you've never been or if you ever get the chance, I'd highly recommend it. You've got to go at least once! There are so many wonderful educational materials, resources, and informative seminars for just about any homeschooling parent.

Whether you're a veteran homeschooler who needs fresh ideas or just a beginner like me, there is something there for everyone. Heck, even f you're not a homeschooling parent, just thumbing through all of the delicious books and educational resources is enough for me. I'm not just talking about curriculum, but books, games, manipulatives, school supplies, and etc....

However, I must warn you...a newbie like myself is sure to get lost in the sea of booths in the exhibit hall. I absolutely loved it! I just wished I had the budget to buy everything I had my eye on!

On the practical side, here was something I picked up that has really come in handy. ...the I Did My Chores Chart! We've been using it for the last few months and the girls love it! Not only are they learning responsibility but they're also learning the rewards of hard work.

Here's how it works:

Chore cards are color coded to reflect the time of the day and assigned morning, noon, and night. When a chore is completed, they immediately place it in the "I did it box!" At the end of the day, they receive a token for each card in the box. Tokens are then redeemable for rewards previously established. For example, 5 tokens could be redeemable for a piece of candy, 8 tokens for a free dessert, 15 tokens for extended bed time....you name it!

Of course, the other side of this thing is that tokens can also be taken away. My girls have felt the sting of this and hate withdrawing money from their piggy bank to give to mommy.

Since our first grader is learning how to count money, we've altered the system a bit. Instead of collecting tokens they are earning small change: a nickel per card earned. The girls love to cash in their money for rewards like camping out in the living room and watching a movie or a trip to the dollar store.

So far, we've had great success! I am most impressed that my four year old makes her bed first thing in the morning without fail!

She even walked into my room one afternoon, took one look at my bed and exclaimed, "Mommy, I think we need to get you a chore chart too!" Ouch! : )

Pink is the color, Barbie is the theme and Potterybarn has been our Inspiration

2010-11-12T23:37:00.000-06:00

Since Tim has had off this week, we’ve been busy around the house tackling various projects.

With that in mind, I have been wanting to cover the girls' bedroom window, but just wasn't sure yet about what to do -- until I came across a pair of tulle curtains a friend had given us a while back. Surprisingly, they resurfaced this week while we were cleaning out the garage...imagine that! Since they didn't fit over the bedroom window, we got a little creative and decided to use them to frame the dressing area of the girls bedroom closet.

I still have to paint, but doesn't it look cute. I love that we were finally able to put these to use.

After hanging, I realized how simple the stitch looked and decided to make another set of tulle curtains for the bedroom window. Being such a beginner sewer, I was a little intimidated about sewing tulle, but was amazingly surprised at how easy it was! Nothing like a little inspiration to get you going (and a little encouragement from your sister who of course can make just about anything!).

So, here is the tulle valance I made for the girls bedroom window. It has a zebra print border and pink jewels. Very girlie for my two girly girls.

Now, onto the tulle bedskirt modeled after the ones in Potterybarn. This bedskirt sells for $150.00 for a twin size bed. Five yards of tulle for the above cost me $6.00 at Hobby Lobby. You do the math! ; )

Costume Fun 2010

2010-11-03T21:18:00.006-06:00

After all my smack about not having enough time to sew costumes for the girls, I ended up caving in when I couldn't find Isabella's costume anywhere. It seems Word Girl was a pretty popular costume for her size, not to mention shipping would have cost me a fortune!

After researching a little on the internet, I got some great tips from other mommys on how to put the outfit together without breaking the bank. I dug around a little bit and realized we had an Incredibles costume from last year that we could reuse as Word Girl's red leotard. My only issue would be covering up the black sleeves, ankles, trunks and Incredible emblem on the front of the chest.

Here's where the mommy tips came in handy!

For Word Girl's shield, I used red and yellow foam craft paper from the craft store. Tim helped me draw the shield (because I am so not an artist) and star. I then simply cut these out and stuck them over the Incredibles emblem.

For the headpiece I cut out a piece of red stretch fabric and hot glued it to a head band. Then i simply added velcro to the bottom side of the head piece to attach underneath her chin.

The belt was an old stretch glitter belt that I use to have from one of my many years in dance and drill team. I simply cut out a yellow and brown circle from the same foam paper and stuck it onto the belt. To give extra security I added a few stitches.

The sleeves were the easiest of all. I used red felt which helped bring out the darker red Word Girl uses around her wrists.

I also had to make red trunks to go over the black trunks on the Incredibles costume. This was the hardest part for me. I had no clue what to do and didn't want to mess up the costume as I'm sure the boys will be into in just a few short years. Not to mention, it was very late and I was really sleepy. I ended up playing around with the red fabric (used on the head piece) and came up with something to simply get us by for the evening.

My favorite tip was making Word Girl's red boots. We used a pair of long red socks to be worn over her tennis shoes and we had an instant pair of red boots! Of course, by the end of the night we had to throw the socks away, but replacing those is a piece of cake should we ever decide we need them again.

Two late nights sewing until 4 am and here is the final product...

She absolutely loved it and was super grateful which ended up making the bags I am now sporting underneath my eyes all worth it!

And if you noticed above, she's holding Captain Huggy, Word Girl's sidekick! (Isabella just had to have him! ) This was a last minute project Sunday morning right before we headed to church. It literally took about 5 minutes.

We borrowed a blue T-shirt from Cash and put it on his monkey (the extra one that is only for emergencies). I used some scrap yellow fabric from Word Girl's cape to make his belt and simply tied this around his waste. I cut circles out from the foam paper and hot glued it to the yellow belt. I cut out a yellow lightening bolt also from the foam paper and glued it to the front of his chest. For his head piece, I used the scrap red fabric that we used on Word Girl's head piece and tied it around his head. I tucked the knot into the collar of the blue shirt. (I told you this was a last minute thing!) Then I cut out slits for his ears to stick out and there you have it....Mr Huggy!

The other 3 dressed up as characters from the Cat in the Hat. I got the idea when I walked into a consignment shop to inquire about selling some items and spotted a Thing One and Thing Two Costume! I couldn't resist. After that, I hyped up the idea to Elianna on being the Cat and the Hat. She was sold after I mentioned painting her face and wearing red lip stick!

So here is Elianna as The Cat in the Hat! (I purchased the hat, bow and gloves and sewed her tail on).

And we can't forget about Thing One and Thing Two...

Thing One refused to wear his blue hair and was unsure about what to do most of the evening, but he loved getting pushed around in his wagon and eating candy!

The cutest and happiest Thing Two I ever did see! He fought his brother for candy the whole night!

Mr. Potato Head Pumpkins

2010-10-29T10:28:00.014-06:00

While shopping one weekend at Wal-mart I came across these!

So fun! I got the idea from a friend (Thanks SB!), but had never seen them. While we still had pumpkin carving on the agenda, this really was so much easier! As you can see, the kids had a blast decorating!

and our porch looks great too!

What Every Mom Needs To Know After a Bad Day…

2010-10-18T08:14:00.020-06:00

...from one of my favorite fellow Mommy Bloggers Kat at Inspired to Action

Photo Credit

A few months ago I had one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days that all moms have every once in awhile.
Sometimes every two or three times in awhile.

After finally putting the kids to bed, with a deep sigh felt through the ages, I buried my head in my husband’s chest and in true Anne of Green Gables fashion, I proceeded to pour out my frustration and deep despair at what a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day it was and what a terrible, horrible, no good,very bad mom I was.

I mentally calculated the future therapy bill my kids would require after our rotten day.

Finally, in an expression of true blogger angst, I said, “…and what the WORLD am I doing writing a blog about motherhood?!!! I’m a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mom!!”

But I’m not dramatic. Obviously.

Yet my wonderfully patient, wise husband gently replied, “Sweetie, it’s not about the mom you were today. It’s about the mom you’re FIGHTING to be. And you? You’re FIGHTING to be a great mom…”

His words of comfort silenced me.

Friends, we all have bad days. Sometimes we have bad weeks. Maybe you’ve had bad years. But those are the past. We can learn from them, but they DO NOT define us.

Our mistakes are part of our journey. They are NOT our definition.
In light of the magnificent purpose to which we have been called, we cannot waste time nurturing our regrets. They require too much of us.

We can learn from our bad days, our mistakes and then we must lay them down, leave them behind andfight on.

Kat blogs at Inspired To Action, a site dedicated to helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world. Kat and her husband Jimmy live the great state of Texas and have 3 children ages 7, 5 and 2. Kat loves music, running, technology, Jesus and Tex-Mex food. Not necessarily in that order.

Have you decided what your going to be for Halloween?

2010-10-13T09:38:00.001-06:00

Cowboy CASH From Last Year!

That is the question around our house lately. Three down and one to go! Whohoo! Believe it or not, I am actually off to a better start than last year. Elijah Ray was born a few weeks before Halloween, so mama had a lot of other things on her mind, not to mention we were in the middle of a huge move!

So, this year we're making better timing and I think we finally nailed down what big sister is going to be! Yea!! This is a huge accomplishment for mommy as my eldest has the habit of changing her mind from week to week. Anyone else have this challenge? It can be really tough and oh so frustrating; especially as we get closer to Halloween.

Since I was growing weary of asking every day,"have you decided what your going to be for halloween?" I decided to help her along by laying out a time frame for her. If she didn't have a costume picked out by that designated time, mommy would have to choose for her. Not so much fun for a big independent 6yr old. So, with a little nudge and a "you're a big girl who I know can choose her own costume"encouragement, voila!! That really seemed to do the job!

Now that I have half the battle tackled, we're on to getting our costumes. Decisions, decisions!! I am so tempted to make my own costumes; especially when I see something and think, "I could totally make that myself!" However, as much as I'd love to break out the sewing machine, the reality is I just don't have time. Between our home projects, homeschooling and life in general with 4 kiddos, there's just not enough time in the day. Urrgghh! So, even though it painfully kills me to purchase the girls costumes, I think I'm opting for sanity. Good thing hubby likes this choice too. When I asked him tonight if I should attempt to sew some of our costume items, he just looked at me and said, "Come on babe, really?!!" Nuff said! Hope he's still singing that tune when we need his wallet! ; )

With that in mind, as I was looking for our costumes on line I came across this website full of creative ideas for frugal halloween costumes. So, for all you bargain savvy moms you may find this link helpful!

Here were a few of my favorites:

A Bag of Jelly Beans

A Bag of Dog Food--hilarious!

Toothpaste

A Clock-little work but very creative.

Gumball Machine-could also use the clear sinch bags like the Jelly Beans above.

Unleash your creativity!
Mel

Why Don't Friends with Kids have Time?

2010-08-24T08:59:00.001-06:00

Wow!

My husband sent me the article below.

No doubt he knew I'd get a kick out it as you will too I'm sure; especially those of you who are stay at home moms!

I love the editor’s response to a lady who wrote in basically wanting to know what in the heck stay at home moms do all day.

You know, because our jobs are sooooo easy!

Yeah right!

I love the line about "needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15!"

Isn't that the truth!

I'm feeling this all too well these days as we unpack, remodel, and decorate our new home.

How does one do this with 4 little ones all under the age of 6?!!

Thanks for shedding some light Carolyn!

Attitude...it's your choice! :)

2010-08-16T16:35:00.005-06:00

Last week was a pretty crazy week and if you follow Tim's FB updates, you'll recall for some unexplicable reason our Mac decided not to boot up one morning. That was a real bummer! To top the week off and make things even sweeter, to our surprise we discovered a pipe had broken in the attic in the girls bathroom, and oh yes there was sheet rock damage!

As we worked to get things squared away with the insurance company, overall things seemed to be looking good and best of all their was minimal damage done to our pocket book. Definitely a blessing! Hopeful to start a new week with this behind us, we came home from church yesterday afternoon and discovered yet ANOTHER pipe had broken in the attic; this time over our hallway near the garage. Ugghh.

In Phillipians 4:6 Paul exhorts us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which trancends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

So, despite the circumstances, I'm choosing to have a positive attitude and thankful heart. Thankful that a friend happened to come over that evening (the night the first pipe busted) and was able to help us, thankful for another friend that works with insurance companies was able to advice us on what to do, thankful we were able to minimize the damage, thankful that Opa was here to help when the second pipe busted, thankful for insurance, etc....

Amazingly, as I began to write these out I discovered there really was so much to be thankful for. It's a shift in attitude, a matter of perspective! Oh and did I mention that before we walked through the door and discovered the 2nd broken pipe, we had just gotten off the phone with Apple. They had called to let us know that our laptop would be ready later this week and the best part...it was FREE!!

Paul says, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation....phillipians 4:12 This is something God has been definitely been working in us this past year in so many different ways. As I reflect on how God has been at work in our hearts and his provision over our family, I am so thankful for the ways He is choosing to work the spirit of contentment in our hearts. I am thankful for his mercy over our family as I realize many others like Paul, face hunger,sickness, death, and etc....As I reflect on other families who have lost a loved one and have watched God be their peace and strength through their pain it simply amazes me. I cannot fathom the cross they have had to bear. It is humbling to witness the way God has worked in and through you. If you have experienced such tragedy know that I am praying for you now.

As Paul focused on God rather than His circumstances, he developed an attitude of thankfulness and as a result experienced the peace of God.

So, In the midst of life's unexpectant surprises our attitude is everything. I found the poem below especially fitting this Monday morning! It's a great reminder that perspective is everything and as my husband so gently reminds me, "Your attitude is your choice!" So, despite this less than desirable gaping hole I am staring at in my ceiling, I choose to remain JOYFUL and THANKFUL before the Lord today!

A little old lady went to the mirror one morning and noticed that she had only three hairs on her head.

As she looked into the mirror, she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."

That's exactly what she did. And, she had a great day.

The next morning, at the mirror once again, the little old lady noticed that she only had two hairs on her head.

Looking herself right in the eye, she said, "Today, I think I'll part my hair down the middle." That's exactly what she did. And, she had a great day.

The next day, as the little old lady looked into the mirror, there was only one hair on her head.

She looked at that one lonely hair and said, "Today I think I'll wear my hair in a pony tail."

That's exactly what she did. And she had a great day.

The following morning the little old lady looked into the mirror and there wasn't a single hair on her head.

Her eyes lit up, and she said, "Yeah! I don't have to fix my hair today!"

~Dennis and Wendy Mannering

"Your attitude is your choice!"

Friendship for Grown-Ups

2010-08-13T10:39:00.009-06:00

I am a huge Lisa Whelchel fan and have read just about every book she’s ever written. One of my new favorites is her latest book, Friendship for Grown Ups. In this book, Lisa explores the challenges of friendship; particularly women friendships.

Let’s face it…friendships can be challenging! Lisa speaks from her heart as she relays her own story of how God tore down the wall she had so carefully constructed around her heart in order to prevent people from getting too close; thereby exposing her own neediness and vulnerability.

“Vulnerability, trust and grace is not always easy to cultivate or maintain but isn’t that what we all want? To be seen, in all our glory, for better or worse, the good, the bad and the ugly and still be embraced? If only these kind of friendships were easy to find.”

As she begins the journey of discovering “real” friendship, the very thing she fears is that which God uses to chisel away at her heart. It is through the pain of broken trust and betrayal that God teaches her how to be real, needy and vulnerable in order to truly be a “real” friend…the kind of friend we all need.

I have not met many women in my Christian life who I can honestly say know the good, bad and ugly of Mel…and still embrace me. Perhaps they haven’t felt the same of me either. That really makes me sad. Don't get me wrong...I have some great friends that I love dearly and I know they care for me as well.

As I chewed on the quote above, there are only two women that come to mind, who have seen me and know the good, bad and the ugly of Mel. One was once my boss, and is now mentor and very dear, dear friend whom I will forever be grateful for. Sure, we have rubbed each other the wrong way before, but we know each other. She knows the Mel God created, has grace for the Mel that’s still in process and chooses to see ahead to the Mel God is creating me to be. That’s real friendship! That’s real grace!

The other is a girl I knew back in high school. Man, could we have some heated discussions, but our love and respect for one another went deeper. We might not have always seen eye to eye, but no matter what, there was a sisterly love for one another. Even today, though we might have different viewpoints, we can still respect one another despite our different perspectives and love one another through them. The best part is that though the years go by, we can pick up a conversation like it was just yesterday. She knows me. She knows the Mel God created and respects the Mel I desire to be. That’s real friendship!

Here is what I am wrestling with: Isn’t the church (not "A church" but "THE church" in general) the place where we should be experiencing more of these grace filled friendships and unconditional love? I just don’t understand how we can be the body of Christ and yet have so very little grace for God’s people. The very people in which God himself dwells! When I think about it like that, it just blows my mind and makes me cry out to God to help me show his child, my sister in the faith, more grace and love.

I am processing through all of this, but one thing I have discovered about myself in regards to friendship is that I tend to be an all or nothing kind of gal. There isn’t anything I don’t commit myself to without giving it my all. This is just the way God made me. The same goes with friendship. I am a loyal friend, which means there isn’t ANYTHING I wouldn’t do for you if I can; especially for a close friend.

Yet, what I have come to discover about myself, and this book only helped to further highlight, is that at times I can unintentionally expect the same things of my friends in return. The result is hurt feelings when expectations are not met. One of the biggest things my husband is holding me accountable to is not to infer the intentions or actions of other people. For example, I might say, “I can’t believe she said _______, I would have never said that to her” or “I can’t believe she didn’t _________ I would have done that for her.” Time and time again, my hubby will fire back with, “but she’s not YOU!!!” He says, “she is not going to do and say things just like you would. If it bothers you that much, ask her what she meant when she said, _______ but don’t infer. It leads you to a bad place.” Blah, Blah, Blah. The truth is, he’s right and I know it.

In Friendship for Grown Ups, Lisa Whelchel refers to this as helium balloons. Before you let the little balloon you’ve imagined float away, pop it by exposing it. Bring it to the light. Tell your friend, “I could be overly sensitive, but was I reading you the right way when you said __________?” Don’t just sweep it under the rug or worse yet, write someone off! I have been guilty of the latter. So needless to say, I have found so many nuggets of truth in this little 178 page book.

One of my favorite quotes that I have sadly found to be true is when she writes about our fear of being needy. Check this out:

“What has conditioned so many of us to be afraid to ask for help when we need it? Or to reach out for a touch when we are lonely? Or to forgo sharing a happy success for fear of sounding prideful? Why do we choose the safety of space in even the closest of friendships?"

As I reflected on this question (and have been guilty at some point of one or all of them), it really just blows my mind. I’m wondering… “Are we living in fear and lead by pride.” Fear and Pride…two painful enemies of the Christian life.

Afraid to ask for help….why? Because we won’t appear to have it all together; we won’t be the perfect mom who knows how to raise the perfect kids? Maybe it’s simply because we don’t want to bother already busy people and become a burden to them….we’re tough, self sufficient we can handle it…right?

Reach out when we’re lonely….why?? Isn’t that what the body of Christ is for??

Forgo sharing a happy success for fear of sounding prideful…why??? aren’t we called to rejoice with others?

Are we living in fear and lead by pride?

Henry Cloud writes…. “God made us to need Him and each other. We need God. We need his word. We need each other. The apostle John wrote, “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” 2 John 12. Friendships require vulnerability, grace and action. You can’t build a friendship off of self sufficiency. You must reach out to others and ask for help. Neither can you build a friendship if you never make time for others and concern yourself with their needs. We need community, we need each other. God knew that. That’s why he blessed us with the church body. So, why do we push this precious gift away?

These are just a few things I’m pondering lately and wrestling with in my heart. This was the first book I’ve read that spoke honestly and directly regarding these sensitive and almost taboo matters.

If you want a good book you can curl up with and hang out with a girl who’s keeping it real, check out Lisa’s book, Friendships for Grown Ups. I laughed, cried and cried some more as she relays the bitter sweetness of friendships and gives practical insight on how to choose and cultivate “safe” friendships filled with grace, so we His people, can truly reflect his love to one another.

If you’ve ever experienced the pain of friendship or would simply like to know how to be a better friend, this book is a must read.

It's been a while...

2010-08-03T13:53:00.003-06:00

Hey Friends and Family! We’re back!

Life has definitely brought about a lot of surprises and changes including a new addition to the family, homeschooling, a new job, church, and new home.

Though this transition has been LONG and challenging, it has also been such a blessing as we have seen God at work in so many ways. After 10.5 long months of home showings, we’re finally on the other side. Whew!! It’s time now to get settled in and figure out our new normal…whatever that looks like!

Though we have most of the inside boxes tackled, we still have a mountain of boxes to sift through in the garage as this is the place where everything got dumped! L I’m choosing to look at the brighter side--we’re finally able to “move about the cabin!” No more bumping into boxes! Yea!! That’s not to say I still don’t hear someone yelling out, “mom, where is ________?” However, that’s more because mommy’s still trying to figure out the best places for everything to “live”—as my eldest would say.

It feels like we are moving at a snails pace (and we are),but hey with four little ones to attend to, this has been a major accomplishment for us. As much as I’ve wanted to get everything in order as quickly as possible, there are 4 little people who need their mommy and daddy. Life still goes on. Laundry still needs to be done, dishes washed, bodies bathed, dinners made, drinks to fill, babies to nap, and etc….So, needless to say, this is yet another way God is teaching me how to be flexible; a theme that has been reoccurring for the past 2.5 years of my life (Thanks Dale Carnegie)!

As I reflected a bit on this, I couldn’t help but think of my kiddos who have been alongside us during one of the most challenging seasons of our married lives. They have without a doubt been a living-breathing example of what it means to be flexible. What an encouragement they have been to me as I have watched them let go of the only home they’ve ever known. Not once have they complained. This is no stretch of the imagination. In fact, even though my 2yr old is unable to fully communicate, the first night in our new home when I announced that it was bed time, he picked up his monkey, looked at me and said, “alright mom” and then went straight to his new room! I couldn’t believe it! What a blessing that was as we were so physically and emotionally spent and desperately in need of some rest.

It’s funny, I kept waiting, trying to be ready with an encouraging word to offer or to wipe a teary eyed face. That’s not to say they don’t love and miss all their amazing little friends. No way! They simply said their goodbyes and trusted Mom and Dad’s word that there would be new friends to make and a new home that Jesus was bringing us to. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we came to our heavenly Father as simply and as orderly as that? No tantrums, no looking back, just moving forward and trusting that God is doing a new thing, even if we don’t have all the why’s and how’s answered.

Time and time again, Isaiah 43: 18-19 has been an encouraging verse through challenging seasons in my life. And even now, as we continue to trust and let go I have found it especially encouraging in this season.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See , I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43: 18-19.

That’s not to say out with the old and in with the new. Please don’t hear that. Like our kiddos, we too will carry these friendships in our hearts forever. You have been in our homes, eaten dinner with us, brought meals over, watched our kids, went on double dates together, celebrated births and walked with us in challenging seasons. You have been a blessing to us in so many ways and we are so thankful for the time we had together. We treasure the friends we’ve had to say goodbye to and know that no matter where God plants us, God has and will always bind our hearts together through Christ Jesus.

Yet, as we embrace what God is doing in this new season (challenges and all) we are experiencing the joy of seeing God’s provision and seeing how he has been at work even though we couldn’t see or understand it all. No matter how uncomfortable it is, there is a freedom that comes in knowing you’re in the middle of God’s will that gives you the hope and strength to persevere.

Even though we’re not through it all, we have not only seen the way he has provided for us physically (ask me about how we found our house), but he’s also been plowing through the muddy fields of our hearts. While not always pleasant, it is here God can shape, mold and refine us. Don’t know what all that looks like yet, but I have hope in what’s yet to come! J

Genesis 50:20-21 ….., but God intended it for Good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Reindeer Candy Cane

2008-12-18T11:51:00.007-06:00

Did you know the first Candy Cane was originally used as a Pacifier to soothe crying babies? Later, a German Choirmaster decided to bend the sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s staff and each tot was handed one as they entered the cathedral during the Christmas pageant in hopes of keeping them quite. Hundreds of years later, a candy maker from Indiana decided to improve on the idea by tying the treats in with the real meaning of Christmas.

The legend of the Candy Cane is just one of many stories in the ADVENTure of Chirstmas by Lisa Whechel. It is chalk full of fun crafts, stories, and etc…to help children find Jesus in many of our Holiday Traditions.

So, we’ve been making these fun little Reindeer Candy Canes for our friends on our street! As I was sharing the story with the girls I pointed out that the red stripes remind us about the blood of Jesus and how he died on the cross for us. I thought this would be easy for them to understand especially since they love singing the song, “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus.”

However, I didn’t realize that Isabella had taken this so literally. So when Elianna started screaming that the peppermint was burning her mouth Isabella told me,

“Mom, get it out of her mouth! It’s the blood!

The blood is burning her!! She doesn’t like the blood…get it out!!”

Awwh…from the mouth of babes! Too funny! I got a big kick out of it and couldn’t help but wonder what God must think of all of this?!!

**The pic above is one I pulled from the internet. I will update later with our pics!

Family Christmas Pictures

2008-12-12T13:34:00.010-06:00

So Tim just finished shooting our family Christmas portraits to send out to family and friends. It was so much fun doing it in our own house. Good-bye JC Penny's :)

As we narrowed it down to the one we'll actually send out, here are a few that didn't make the cut! :)

It's amazing what you go through for one good picture. I have a new found respect for photographers. :) Good luck Tim!

Window Talk

2008-12-02T23:01:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Fun

2008-11-29T22:24:00.032-06:00

This was our first year to take the kids to the Thanksgiving Parade downtown. As you can see, the kids had a blast!

Instead of having to wake up early and rush the kids out the door, we decided to rent a hotel room to avoid the morning madness. The girls were so excited and couldn't wait to get to the hotel after dinner. They had a blast staying up late and watching their movies on Tim's laptop. Though we were up early so that we could find a good place to sit it was stress free. We even had time to grab a little breakfast together before our busy day began.

The best part was that the parade passed right in front of our hotel so all we had to do was walk out and take a seat...perfect view for the kids ! No drama, no parking, no rushing, etc... It was definitely worth it! We hope to make this a new little family tradition!

Here are a few pics of the our time together:

Afterwards, we went to Oma and Opa’s House for Thanksgiving Lunch and had a great time hanging out with the family.

Stomping Grounds Playland

2008-11-19T15:05:00.006-06:00

The kids and I just got back from a new place that opened up in Sugarland called Stomping Grounds Playland. It's off of Williams Trace right next door to Michael's in the First Colony Commons Shopping Center.

The girls got to run wild and they even had a little tot section for Cash to play in! Moms get to gab and watch the kids play while sipping coffee in the lounge area. I even saw one mom with her computer! Apparently she's been there before because she got there when most of the other moms were rounding up the kids to go home, so she had the whole place to herself!

If you're thinking about grabbing lunch there it can be a bit expensive, but they did have some reasonably priced snacks and other kiddy foods.

It was a great afternoon. My crew had a blast and crashed as soon as we got home!

This place is definitely worth checking out!

Where Are All the Spiritual Leaders and Why Aren't More of Them Speaking Out?

2008-10-19T22:15:00.043-06:00

I follow Voddie Baucham's Blog quite a bit. I first heard of Voddie when he came to teach at an on campus bible study called Quest at Houston Baptist University. He's also taught at the College of Biblical studies and is currently a church planter for the Family Integrated Church in Spring, Texas.

He is an awesome teacher of the word and as far as I know, one of the only spiritual leaders really speaking out as we try to make sense of our candidates, the election process and where God is in all of it.

When you have time, you should really check out his blog. He shares his concerns regarding both parties and why he cannot support either one. Tim actually posted a youtube clip of his interview on Fox news a couple of weeks ago.

I have included some of his post below regarding his concerns in each party. They are very thought provoking. I love his passion for the word and his desire to uphold the truth even when not popular with the culture (sadly to say this includes many Christians).

Friday, April 18, 2008
Barack Obama: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Barack Obama is the most pro-abortion candidate ever to run for President. He could not even bring himself to vote for the Born Alive Infant Protection Act which would have protected children born ...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/4/18_A_Wolf_in_Sheep’s_Clothing.html

Saturday, August 30, 2008
Did McCain Make a Pro-Family VP Pick?
Conservatives are all aglow as John McCain pulled off an apparent coup d’état this week by naming Sarah Palin as his choice for Vice President. Bob Unruh, writing for the conservative Christian web...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/8/30_Did_McCain_Make_a_Pro-Family_Pick____.html

Monday, September 1, 2008
The Evangelical Two-Step
It has been interesting watching evangelicals sing and dance their way around the news of Sarah Palin’s pregnant seventeen year-old daughter. Step One: Use the Bible to motivate and mobilize the Ev...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/1_The_Evangelical_Two-Step.html

Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Framing the Abortion Debate
I believe Christian Conservatives are treading in dangerous waters with the way many are spinning the Palin pregnancy issue. The emphasis on the daughter’s “choice” to have the baby is presented as...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/2_The_Continuing_Collapse_of_Education_2.html

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Waking up the Sheeple
The past several days have been incredibly revealing. I have received numerous emails, phone calls, and interview requests since my August 30th post on John McCain’s VP pick. I have even earned the...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/3_Waking_up_the_Sheeple.html

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What if Palin was a...
The Sarah Palin controversy continues to rage on among complimentarians (there’s virtually no debate among mainstream evangelicals). There are articles flying everywhere on one side of the issue or... http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/9_None_of_The_Above.html

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 A Spoonful of Sugar I found this on the web and couldn’t help but cringe. Many on the left are using this statement to demonstrate the confusing nature of Evangelical support for McCain simply because of his VP pick.
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/10_A_Spoonful_of_Sugar.htm
Thursday, September 11, 2008
How Evangelicals Could Win an Election and Lose the Culture
There has been a great deal of speculation as to the effect of the Palin nomination on female voters. While few expected the hoards of Hillary supporters to flock to Palin (due to the abortion issu...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/11_How_Evangelicals_Could_Win_an_Election_and_Lose_the_Culture.html

Monday, September 15, 2008
Was the P31 Woman a Career Gal?
Recently I have heard the Proverbs 31 reference over and over in support of “women pursuing careers” in politics, or otherwise. Let me say that I have never argued that a woman cannot or should not...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/15_Was_the_P31_Woman_a_Career_Gal.html

Thursday, September 25, 2008
Voddie Baucham on CNN
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of appearing on CNN. I was told that I would be discussing my original blog on the Governor Palin pick. However, the interviewer chose to turn the show into a di...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/9/25_Voddie_Baucham_on_CNN.html

Thursday, October 2, 2008
No Comment!
As a result of recent articles in The Tennesseean and The L.A. Times I have decided not to talk to the print media about the Palin issue. Both articles represent what is wrong in American journalis...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/10/2_No_Comment!.html

His most recent post, "The Culture of Death...and its Candidate" really makes one stop and think. Check out the post and videos below. After viewing, it compelled me to research further Margaret Sanger and the role she has played, as Voddie puts it, in our "culture of death."

The Culture of Death... and its Candidate
As I have noted a number of times, I simply cannot comprehend why Christians (of any color) can support BarackObama. As Robert George of Princeton University noted recently, “Barack Obama is the m...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/10/17_The_Culture_of_Death..._and_its_Candidate.html

My Little Man

2008-10-14T20:48:00.002-06:00

My little man in his first guayabera!

Fireproof

2008-10-12T22:33:00.008-06:00

Tim and I went to see Fireproof tonight. It was so good to get out to the theater and to be pleased with the $34 we spent! Below is the trailer, but I highly recommend the movie. There's something for all couples in this movie, regardless of what stage you're at in your relationship!

Our Good Friend Pablo and Iglesia Riverpointe

2008-10-09T22:54:00.006-06:00

Our friends Pablo and Iris are helping to start a Spanish service at Riverpointe Church here in Richmond. Below is a video he did with Patrick, the Senior Pastor. We were hanging out with them tonight and couldn't stop laughing. Enjoy!

Be praying for them; their first public service is on October 19th at 1:30 p.m.! Tim and I will be going with some friends to show our support! Feel free to join us!

(You can stop the music player by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the blog before you play the video)

Blogging Break

2008-10-03T09:52:00.005-06:00

So I needed a little blogging break! Can I say it was just what the doctor ordered? Honestly, it's been kind of nice to be freed up from the computer. I've had the opportunity to pursue other interests, but most importantly I've been reminded of the importance of keeping first things first.

Recently Tim and I have challenged one another to waking up at 5:00am in order to offer the Lord the first fruits of our day. Not only are we able to come together in prayer and prepare ourselves for the day, but it also allows us time to do whatever else we need to before the little tornados wake up. For Tim, he's been able to get in an early morning jog and though I need to do the same, it gets kind of tricky with the little guy. So, I've been using this time to enjoy a cup of coffee and catch up on some reading or even tackle some early morning housework.

A night owl by nature, I have realized that in order for me to wake up early, I must first develop the discipline of going to bed early. What I am quickly discovering is that this discipline is far more challenging than waking up to the dreaded sound of the alarm clock. That's because I can find a million and one things to do after I put the kids down. Things like hanging out with Tim, watching TV, reading, sewing, or even tackling some unfinished housework.

But hey, this is my mommy time right? The only time I get to do something for me...or so I thought. Recently, I have been challenged by Martha Peace’s frank words about women such as myself who claim not to be morning people. Here's what good ol' Martha has to say,

"I have heard of women who pride themselves on being "night people." That means they have trouble getting up in the mornings because they come alive at night. They may stay up till all hours reading, watching television, or pursuing some sort of interest. The next morning they are too tired to get up and care for their family... These women are not "night people." They are lazy and selfish. Who would not rather stay up late to do whatever they please and sleep late the next day? Once a young wife begins getting up earlier than her children and her husband, she will cease to be a "night person." She will be tired at night and go to bed at a reasonable hour so she will be there to serve her family the next morning."

Ouch! I must admit these were tough words to hear. I mean did she just call me lazy? Selfish? Though I would not consider myself lazy or selfish when it comes to my family, I can see her point. After all, if going to bed late means being irritable, snappy, and or frustrated with your family, then how are you really offering your best to them (or for that matter to the Lord)? If I'm honest with myself, I've been guilty of that. Parenting in general is tough, but it takes extra creativity, intentionality, discipline and hard work to model and teach our children about God. How can we effectively do this if we're too tired??

As I have been contemplating these sobering words and how I can apply them to my own life, it has really challenged me to develop the discipline of going to bed early so that I can offer the Lord the first fruits of my day and be better rested to serve my family.

So, how am I developing the discipline of going to bed early so I can rise early? I can answer with one simple word...Accountability. And since Tim loves to go to bed early, he loves holding me accountable to being in bed at a reasonable hour. Though Tim would love to have lights off at 9:00pm, we've come to an agreement of 10-10:30pm.

Reality is: how much more would I have to offer my family when I am well rested? How much more can I be when I make it a priority to sit at the Lord's feet BEFORE the day begins? To put on the armor of the Lord instead of rushing off into the battle spiritually unarmed.

I want to begin my days in a proactive mode and put first things first by mentally, physically and spiritually preparing before rushing off to respond to the demands of the day. Proactive and not reactive when I get that 7am call from the bedroom down the hall, "mommy I'm done!" I want leche! Can we watch Super Why? Then there is the little guy waiting for his morning feeding, not to mention saying goodbye to Tim as he rushes out the door in the morning.

All too often in this season of raising such small children I am finding it much harder to safe guard this precious time. While I know there is grace, spiritual laziness shouldn't be an excuse either. For me, there is a fine line. I long for the days where I could uninterruptedly read my bible and journal for an extended period of time with a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Thankfully Tim does recognize the importance of giving me this time. In fact, we joke about him kicking me out of the house every Friday morning. But what was once so easy to do now requires much more discipline, creativity, planning and scheduling. That in and of itself can be exhausting and difficult to make time for.

Starting my day with prayer and reading is good for my soul and essential for my sanity. In an effort to model the importance of putting first things first, we've even begun doing this with the girls. The first thing we do before breakfast, before the tv is turned on, before we get dressed and start going about our day is to have a short devotional and prayer time. We generally read something from their Children's Rhyming Bible, which is usually no more than two pages long followed by a short prayer. The girls love it!

So, Tim and I have joined the 5am club. Are we always successful? Nope. But I do recognize the importance of being obedient and developing this discipline in my life; especially with our growing family.

Who Says You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?

2008-07-09T23:18:00.007-06:00

So I’ve learned two new things from two new mommies!

Thing #1—from a mommy new to nursing (though not so new to childrearing). For all you nursing mommies, do you ever get tired of having to hold your nursing shields while you pump? Can I get a big BORING!! Well, nothing two little ol’ hair rubber bands can’t solve. Click here to see how!

Thing #2—from a week old mommy. These little things are originally made to fasten and hold cloth diapers, but I got the idea of using it to fasten and hold a nice tight swaddle when I saw a picture of her little guy all snug as a bug in a rug.

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I love learning from one another! Thanks ladies for the great tips!

Great Bible Adventures

2008-07-07T23:52:00.009-06:00

My mother in law ordered me a children’s bible study kit called Great Bible Adventures. Each month we get a new lesson in the mail. What I love about this study is that each bible study lesson has a coordinating coloring sheet, puzzle, prayer cards, and creative family activities to help you apply each lesson.

Today, Elianna marched out with the bible kit in hand saying, “mommy I want bible! I want Jesus!” It really blessed me to hear her ask me this and on her own accord, yet at the same time it stung a little…kind of like she was saying, "come on mama get in gear!"

So, the girls pulled out their couches for bible time. Ellie in Dora and and Isa on her princess throne and together we read the story of John The Baptist. The girls listened intently to the lesson and participated well as we talked about what the words repent, sin and baptism meant. Not sure how much actually stuck but they did enjoy coloring and putting their puzzle together!

Their favorite part was our “wilderness snack!" This was a great little tip in the family activities section. We talked about how John The Baptist lived in the wilderness and how he ate very different food from us...no pizza, gold fish, ice cream, etc.. instead he ate nuts, berries, honey, and locusts.

This was the fun part! In an attempt to recreate John’s diet we made a wilderness snack with some things that mommy had in her pantry like peanuts, almonds, strawberries, apple slices, and broccoli.

Ok…so maybe not all of it was exactly what John ate, but you get the picture. And I couldn’t believe how much the girls LOVED it! Not to mention, it turned out to be a very healthy lunch!

This little study kit has been great for us! It’s simple and fun! If you’re interested in checking it out, click here for more info. For more WFMW ideas, visit shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.

Do you sleep with socks on or off?

2008-07-07T00:41:00.029-06:00

I like to sleep on my side or stomach, he likes to sleep on his back...

I like the sheets to be crisp, clean and fresh before snuggling under the covers, he could care less....

I like a firmer pillow, he likes a soft flat pillow

I like a firm (though not too firm) mattress, he likes a super soft pillow top

I can fall asleep with the T.V. on, he likes it off

but believe it or not this last one has been an interesting one around our home lately....

I like to wear socks to bed, he can't stand to sleep with socks on.

I know, I know, what problems we have right? But seriously, we both have strong reasons why we wear or don't wear socks to bed.

Apparently, it makes him too hot and uncomfortable. Therefore, I often find this on the floor by the side of his bed.

I on the other hand, can't stand sleeping without socks. My feet get too cold. It doesn't matter what the weather is like outside I always have to wear socks to bed.

The other day this topic came up in our conversation with some friends. Seems I was in the minority for wearing socks to bed. In fact, some people (whose names I won't mention, Ernie and Billy--whoops!) even mentioned that not only do they prefer to sleep without socks, but they have to sleep with their feet out of the covers...something about being claustrophobic! What?!!

I think I can deal with having to sleep with your socks off but what's the deal with covering your whole body except your bare feet?? I can't stand the thought of them hanging out all lonely and cold.

Seriously...why not be fair to the rest of your body and sleep without covers all together? If this was Tim, I don't think I'd be able to sleep!! He'd probably get a visit from the night fairy who'd tuck his feet back under the covers...or at least put socks on them! :)

I got to wondering just how many people like to sleep with socks. So, what about you? Do you sleep with your socks on or off?

The Little Yellow Bag

2008-07-02T22:46:00.008-06:00

So there I was standing in the kitchen cooking dinner. The baby was screaming and the two girls were running about. It's was sheer chaos! As I stood there tending to dinner, yelling at the girls to get out of the kitchen for fear there would be an accident and yet ever so calmly trying to talk to Cash as if to persuade him not to cry (yeah right), in walks my hubby!

Yes...help has arrived!!

I am so thankful to see him and just in time! Not only did he help relieve me so that I could wrap up dinner, but the best part was that he walked through the front door with a little yellow bag in hand. And even though (sad to say) I am no longer 21, I knew that that little yellow bag belonged to me!!

He walks into the kitchen, picks up the screaming baby, gives me a hug and a kiss and says, "here mommy. I picked you up a little treat just to say thank you for all the hard work you're doing around here."

I am beaming from ear to ear as I open my bag of goodies!

The girls of course are screaming, "where's my surprise? I want a treat too! What about me?" Tim tries to help the girls understand what he did and why he did it which really turned into a thought provoking time.

I am blessed...

I love the adorable little tops he picked out all by himself,
I love the fact that he knows my sizes without even having to ask me,
and I even love that he is cool with going into a totally girly store,
but what I love the most was that he notices!
He notices the "hard work!"

So, It's times like this that help you keep going! Thanks for noticing babe!

Menu Plan Monday: Great New Recipe!

2008-06-30T20:13:00.007-06:00

So I haven’t gotten back into my Menu Plan Monday’s yet since our little guy arrived, but I did come across a great new 30 minute meal by Rachel Ray that I had to share! We had it for dinner the other night and the family loved it! If you love fish, then you’ll love this little dish and it was really easy to cook! It was actually my first time attempting to cook fish…so if I can do it, anyone can!

(Thanks to my neighbor Terri that lent me the coriander and dill in a pinch!)

Tilapia Club Stacks
Ingredients:
8 bacon slices; center cut
2 to 2 ½ pds Tilapia (4 lg fillets and cut across into 8 equal pieces)
Salt and Pepper
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1tsp chili powder
2 tsp group coriander
2 tsp dried dill
5 tsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Romaine Lettuce (I substituted with Kale--finely chopped)
2 Plum Tomatoes (halved lengthwise then thinly sliced into half-moons)
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Preheat over to 375. Cook bacon until crisp for 20 -25min. Cut the bacon strips in half so that you have 16 halves.

Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Combine the flour, cornmeal, chili powder, coriander, and dill in shallow dish. Coat the fish with the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3x around the pan, in a large non stick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add the fish and cook until deeply golden on both sides, 8-10 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

Toss the Kale and tomatoes with the lemon juice in skillet (may need 2 tablespoons more of EVOO) and salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes…do not overcook. Kale should be soft but not wilted.

Layer each serving in a stack like this: a tilapia fillet, 2 crossed half-strips of bacon, a pile of salad, a second pile of tilapia fillet, another bacon criss-cross, and a final mound of salad.

To find other great recipes and full menu plans for the week, be sure to check out Org Junkie.

I Gotta Go Pee-Pee!!!!

2008-06-26T09:14:00.015-06:00

These words resound long and loud around our house these days! Only wish she’d give me this kind of warning before she has to go number two!!!

I’ve cleaned up two glorious messes today and good thing my mom gave us a steam cleaner for the accidents that have happened on carpet…our little one just can’t wait to remove her messy diaper!

Motherhood…who says it’s easy!!

WFMW: Latches On Doors

2008-06-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

My husband and I found these locks to be very useful and have placed them on the exit doors around our home.

These first came in handy after we caught our oldest, who was only 3 at the time, walking out the front door.

Apparently, our little neighbor next door came to see if she could play. I happened to turn the corner just in time to see her walking out the door behind him. Talk about scary. Oh, and did I mention that we are the corner house next to a very busy street.

We recently put a few more up on the girl’s bedroom closet and kitchen pantry door. I was growing weary of the girls going in their closet to dress themselves only to find their clothes and shoes thrown about...everday day ALL day! It was definitely getting out of hand. BTW-- all 3 share a closet! I had to get a handle on the madness!!

We only keep their clothes (no toys) in this particular closet but it’s helped to contain the unwanted messes and my favorite…kept them from changing clothes 3 or 4 times a day (why do they like to do that?)!! Only downfall is that I have to make sure to unlock the closet for them in the morning and then again before bedtime.

We found this useful on our pantry door as well because the girls love pulling out the paper cups, spoons, plates, and etc… Thank goodness the snacks were contained on a higher shelf, otherwise things could have been a lot worse!

Needless to say, no more red cups tossed about all over the kitchen floor. Yeah!! These little babies work for me. For more WFMW tips, be sure to visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer!

Now that's what I call Friendship!

2008-06-24T12:02:00.005-06:00

The other night Tim and I had just finished putting the girls to bed when we heard a knock at the front door. It was 9:00pm...who could it be? We both looked at each other as if to ask the other who’s there.

It was our neighbor, Roland (or as Ellie loves to call him, Mr, Roley), delivering us an unexpected meal! What was the occasion? Nothing. He dropped by with dinner in hand for no other reason other than he was thinking of us.

Lucky us!

And his timing I might add was perfect! With all the Sunday activities we were finally getting around to eating-- just the two of us when we heard his knock at the front door.

Not only did he have dinner (Cha-Roland as he so cleverly named it), but He made dessert too!

TIm and I enjoyed every bit of it! Thanks "Mr. Roley!" We love that he felt comfortable enough to pop in on us and were so blessed by the gesture.

It’s great to have such awesome neighbors that look out for you and even better when you feel so comfortable with each other that you can open the door looking like this!!

Lovely huh? Complete with spit up stains on the upper right hand corner of my shirt! Now that's real friendship!

"Everything Has It's Place"

2008-06-19T23:50:00.004-06:00

Not only do the girls have clean up time before nap time and before Tim comes home in the evening, but now that they're a little older, I’ve been trying to teach them to pick up their toys and clean their room before we head out somewhere. It doesn’t always work; especially on the days that we’re running behind, but lately it’s becoming more and more routine.

Since the girls usually have room time while I get ready, I normally give them a countdown of some sort so they have plenty of time to pick up their playthings. Usually, it’s enough to remind them that we can’t do _________________ until we pick up our room (especially when they want to meet with friends), but if that doesn’t work the good ole’ jellybean reward has been a great incentive…another great tip from my girl Lisa Whelchel!

Basically, the girls have to earn a certain amount of jellybeans throughout the week in order to earn the privilege of watching a movie of their choice (mommy approved) on Friday night. Jelly Beans can be earned by having good manners, being obedient, being respectful, cleaning up their room, helping out around the house, and any other behavior that I can catch in the moment that is worthy of a reward.

Some might view as bribery, but it helps our little ones wrap their minds around these concepts and serves as a great teaching tool for us. Not to mention, I love that my girls are learning responsibility, how to take care of their things, and the value of having a clean room which carries over into our home. Even at an early age, I know they understand the value of having a clean home because my 4yr old frequently tells me “oh, thank you mommy for washing my clothes.” In the afternoon when I’m picking up the stray toys lying around the house I might get asked, “Mommy, why are you cleaning the house?” I love telling them that I’m getting ready for their papi to come home.

When everyone pulls together to clean their own area, it also helps mommy keep the house a little tidier as well. But an even bigger plus is that I'm able to nap tired kiddos right away when we return home, instead of wasting time clearing away clutter just to get them to their beds.

I would say there’s nothing better than coming home to a clean house, but as I was headed to the laundry room to iron a blouse, I heard my 4yr old teIl her little sister, “sweetie, everything has it’s place” and then showed her where that item went. Now that takes the cake! (Even though my husband is probably rolling his eyes somewhere as though it’s a hopeless cause, I know he secretly loves it!)

Booty Camp and The Potty Whisperer

2008-06-17T21:58:00.006-06:00

We all know how frustrating and tiring potty training can be. Wendy Sweeney, a registered nurse and mom of six holds a "booty camp" for tired parents that guarantees to have your child potty trained in one day. This five hour course helps toddlers rise to the occasion by teaching them how to listen to their bodies and take responsibility for their actions. Check out her students at "Booty Camp".

What are your potty training tips, successes and or horror stories!

WFMW: Saving Plastic Bags

2008-06-11T14:59:00.013-06:00

Saving the plastic bags that clothes, linens and other various products come in sure have come in handy--a great tip my mom gave me! I have used these to save various things like toys, puzzle pieces and even organizing the endless and ever-growing kids socks!

Recently this came in handy when the girls received sleeping bags for Christmas. Instead of shoving them away in a closet somewhere, I was able to store these together in the plastic bag that I had saved from an old comforter. Now these are tucked away very neatly in the top shelf of the girl’s closet. It’s simple, practical and works for me!

For more WFMW tips be sure to visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer!

Top Baby Must Haves

2008-06-10T22:00:00.002-06:00

The other day our swing started acting up and I found myself thinking, “oh no, I don’t know what I’d do without my swing."

Not only does our little guy sleep so well in this thing, but with a mild case of reflux, being in an upright position helps him sleep longer stretches; especially at night. It’s really just all about survival these first few months! :)

**Before you say,"won’t that spoil him??" The answer is Of Course Not! :) While there is an age appropriate time to sleep train, etc… we are firm believers that there really is nothing you can do to spoil your baby in the first few months of life.

Anyway, as I started pondering this, I realized there are many things even the 3rd time around that “I don’t know what I’d do without.”

So, below is a few of my top baby must haves.
1. Portable Swing--great for travel and great space saver!

2. A Sling, Carrier or Wrap

3. A Hooter Hider –loving mine!

4. Video Monitor—I love being able to see baby…helps give me peace of mind.

5. Co-Sleeper- has been helpful for nursing in the wee hours

6. Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child--I still refer to this book from infant thru toddler years...a great read!

7. Swaddling Blankets --I hear these are pretty good but I haven’t yet tried

8. Super Baby Food--I plan on doing this again and found this was a great read with helpful tips on how to make your own baby food.

9. A Car Seat-- (We love Britax)

10. Electric Breast Pump (Available for rent at local hospitals)

11. Madela Micro Sterile Bags(for bottles, nipples, pacifiers, etc..)-- I originally purchased the big bulky kind that took up way too much room on my counter top. Now I can just pop this in the microwave and the bags are easily stored away.

12. Lansinoh Breast Pads- After a rather embarassing experience while leading a meeting at work, I am sold on these! They're awesome and leak proof!

13. Lansinoh Wipes--so soft and gentle on baby’s bottom and smells good too!

14. Dr. Smith's Ointment--expensive but worth every penny!

15. Pack-n-play

16. Swaddlers Pampers-- These also look pretty cool if you're interested in cloth diapers!

17. Good Burping Cloths --our little guy has soaked us a time or two!

18. White T-shirts--with frequent changings in the first few months, I found the little tees to be so much easier instead of constantly snapping and unsnapping outfits. They're also a lot cooler if you swaddle.

19. Pacifier--so far our little guy has not taken a liking to this yet…we're keeping our fingers crossed!! If we end up having to use one, these have been great; especially for traveling!

20. Portable Potty Seat--Peace of mind for a germ freak like me! I take to parks, zoo, and etc..

These are a few staple items that have come in handy around our home. What about you? What's your baby must haves? I'd love to hear how they've been helpful to you!

Green Our Vaccines

2008-06-04T02:53:00.014-06:00

Being a baby sling lover and preparing for water activities this summer, I was online reviewing water resistant slings when I stumbled upon this blog. Intrigued, I started skimming the pages of her blog when I came across this question, “You really don't Vaccinate your children?" on her FAQ page.

I was totally shocked! I couldn’t believe that there were parents that would actually choose not to vaccinate their children. However, as I read further, I began to understand why she felt led to make this decision, especially concerning her son Noah. You can read more here. It's an awesome story and a great testimony to the miracle that God worked in their family!

Anyway, as I read her blog entry, “Stirring the Pot” it did just that. Being that Cash had just been immunized with 5 shots that same day, it intrigued me and stirred up all sorts of questions about vaccines, their safety, what’s in them, can they be linked to autism, and how does using a one size fits all approach really affect our children? Here are few things I came across:

1. Though not proven, there is question of whether vaccines are linked to the high rise in autism over the last several years. Click here for more information.

The short of it is that many of the children's vaccines contained a toxin called Thimerosol which contains mercury. Thimerosol is used as a preservative and is believed to be responsible for autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays, and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States.

Mercury is a known brain poison, and it is the belief of many that this may have contributed to the growing rate of autism in the U.S. A decade ago the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated the autism rate among American children to be 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC places the rate at 1 in 166, or 1 in 80 boys. Additionally, one in six children is now diagnosed with a related neurological disorder.

**Thimerosal was reported to be taken out of the vaccines in 2001 but it is still currently used in the Flu Shot and MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella).

2. Vaccines contain Toxins-- In addition to Thimerosal, there are many other toxins used as preservatives. Click here for a list of each vaccine's ingredients.
(Notice the animal by product column which include ones derived from monkey, chick and aborted babies.)

A few other facts about these toxic ingredients....

Aluminum- it has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and seizures

Formaldehyde- is known to cause cancer

Mercury -has been a topic of wide discussion.

Monkey Tissue - is used to prepare the polio vaccine. There have been lots of polio vaccines over the years that have been contaminated by Simian Virus 40 (SV40). Some people have linked simian virus to childhood tumors, as the tumors have been known to contain the simian virus in it.

Not only do vaccines contain toxins but...

3. The number of shots our children receive has significantly increased over the last several years--In 2007 it was reported that by the age of 6, children received a total of 36 shots compared to only 10 back in 1983! What a huge contrast! In addition, there is no research on the cumulative effects of these toxins given all at the same time. This is very alarming!

In the early 1990s, public health officials dramatically increased the number of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations without considering the cumulative impact of the mercury load on developing brains.

In a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's vaccination programs, warned his bosses that 6-month-old children administered the shots on schedule would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standards. He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued and complained that the US Food and Drug Administration, which has a notoriously close relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, could not be counted on to take appropriate action as its European counterparts had.

Merck ignored Hilleman's warning, and for eight years government officials added seven more shots for children containing Thimerosal. In 1985, children were vaccinated for seven diseases. Now, that number is 16. That means children now endure about 37 separate vaccination encounters.

I recall the day that I delivered Cash and I was asked to sign a consent allowing the hospital to give him a Hep B shot. I was not aware of this whole issue and I unknowingly gave consent believing that this was the only and best option for my baby. However, upon researching a little further I discovered that Hepatitis B is contracted through the following ways: blood, semen, or from an infected mother.

Being that I was not an infected mother and that it is highly improbable that my son would have caught this disease any other way; I am not sure why it was necessary for him to get this shot. When I called the hospital to find out and inquired about this with his doctor, to my disappointment the answer I received was that it simply was part of the vaccination schedule. (Later, I discovered that many wait until the 2 or 4 mo period, but this was an option that I was unaware of)

And what about...

4. The one size fits all approach?-- One response to those children that were reported to be in good health prior to being vaccinated, but then suddenly developed autism after being vaccinated, is that these children were already predisposed to autism to begin with. Many believe this to be true but also believe that the stress of the vaccinations on the body can be a trigger that helps to turn on these genes.

Our children are all unique; shouldn't they be treated as individuals? What may present as no risks for one child may present enormous risks for another. What If certain children are genetically predisposed, then how do we know those that will have an adverse reaction to these vaccines and those that will not if we treat them with a one size fits all approach? These are the questions I've been asking myself lately.

Many other concerned parents will be joining Jenny Mc Carthy and Jim Carrey as they lead the Green Our Vaccines Rally in Washington today. Their goal is to urge government officials to reassess the current vaccine schedule and remove the toxic ingredients out of our vaccines! Click here for more details.

As for me, I am still researching and praying about what is best for our family and have already begun addressing my concerns with my pediatrician regarding the vaccination schedule and safety. I was somewhat relieved when she suggested an alternative vaccination schedule which would space out the number of shots given. So, instead of 5 shots given in one sitting, we would do two and then return in a month or two for the remaining shots.

As I prepare for the kids next round of shots (2yr, 4yr and 4mo) I am thoroughly researching this option. Here is a book by Dr.Sears which addresses this alternative vaccine schedule. In addition, here is some helpful information concerning Sears and his thoughts on alternative scheduling.

In the meantime, if you're unsure where you'll land, here are some additional tips I found on how to arm yourself: (Also, be sure to check out the links at the very bottom of this post including the Larry King interview with Jenny Mc Carthy and physicians.)

Arming Yourself
1.Make sure to ask your Physician for Thimerosal Free Vaccines.
2.Request singular viral or bacterial injections
3.Space injections out with at least 3wks in between
4.Excluding extenuating circumstances, begin vaccine protocol no earlier than one year old.
5.Many homeopathic or naturopathic doctors have found homeopathic nosodes to be a safe way to vaccinate. They are a dilution of the vaccine.
6.You can prepare your child’s body to handle the viral impact by giving him/her vitamin C and Bs prior.
7.Breast-fed babies have the advantage of colostrum for immune function
8.Alternative Vaccine Schedule

Other informative Links:
1.Jenny Mc Carthy-on Larry King

2.Robert Kennedy

4. IOM-- here

5. Evidence of Harm-I hear this book is very informative

6. Dr. Sheri Tenpenny- I have not yet had a chance to view these but I heard Dr. Tenpenny's DVD series is also very informative as she covers each vaccine, what the CDC has to say about them and her medical opinion for each.

7. American Acadamy of Pediatrics- http://www.cispimmunize.org/ or http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/vaccinesafety-May08.htm

I LOVE Baby Wearing!

2008-06-02T23:55:00.008-06:00

A friend of mine lent me her ring sling after the birth of my first baby and to my surprise, I loved it! I’ve been hooked ever since!

Not only does baby wearing promote parent child bonding and help to soothe baby, but it’s very practical and functional! A definite must have for mommies on the go (or mommies with small children)!

I am amazed at how easily baby falls asleep in these things! The sling has been a life saver on numerous occasions. Not only when shopping alone with the kids, but especially when juggling the kiddos at bedtime. I can pop baby in the sling and attend to the girls all at the same time!

While I loved the ring sling because it was great for nursing and could easily be adjusted to fit me or my husband (he’d only wear it around the house), I wanted something a little more lightweight and portable.

So, when we had baby number two I decided to purchase a Hot Sling. I was attracted to this sling not only because it was super stylish, but I loved the idea of being able to fold and tuck it away in my purse or diaper bag! It was light weight and very convenient. However, to my disappointment I soon discovered that it wasn’t very practical for nursing. This was a definite let down.

Needless to say, I have been shopping for slings again. This time I decided to try a wrap with baby number three! Though they look somewhat intimidating, wraps offer the same hands free convenience as slings and have a variety of different ways you can wear your baby inlcuding the front, hip and back! In addition, their great for nursing!

Here is the Gypsy Mama Balibaby Gauze I just purchased at The Sling Station. I also decided to try this water wrap as well. I know we will be spending a lot of time at the pool this summer (a place where I definitely need to be hands free). I can’t wait to try them both out!

I’ll be sure to follow up with my reviews. I'd love to hear your reviews of baby slings, wraps or carriers and your adventures in baby wearing!

Cool Educational Links!

2008-05-29T08:45:00.008-06:00

For all you moms looking for some fun educational sites you've got to check out the links below! Some new friends shared these great links and I thought I'd pass them along.

The link to the handwriting worksheet even allows you to customize your own handwriting worksheets! You can type in your child's name - phrase - or short sentence and the program automatically creates a full sized practice worksheet! Isabella's been enjoying this one as she practices writing her name.

In addition, there are also some creative ideas for fun crafts you can incorporate into learning lessons, customizable chore charts and many more helful tools for parents!

Be sure to check out the following links:
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/print-k/choose.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/tracers/farm/index.asp

http://www.kidzone.ws/preK_wrksht/dynamic.htm

Katy ISD’s list of “readiness” for Kindergarten:

http://www.katyisd.org/curriculum/kindergarten/readiness.htm

AWESOME websites with lots of theme related activities!!

http://www.kidzone.ws/ - really explore this website!!!!!

http://www.kidzone.ws/phonics/index.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/learning-letters/books.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/learning-letters/index.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/math-readiness/index.htm - don’t forget about Math

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/index.htm

http://www.everythingpreschool.com/lessonplans/

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/

AWESOME websites using certain author’s books or TV shows:

http://www.eric-carle.com/catexchange.html

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Dr__Seuss/

http://www.wordworld.com/ - has a book you can print and coloring pages

http://www.teach.virginia.edu/go/wil/home.html#101%20Best%20Books

If you know of any additional learning sites or have some helpful tips, please share!

Cash Giggling

2008-05-22T22:57:00.002-06:00

So, here's a little treat my husband and I got before we went to bed. Cash was wide awake and ready to have a little fun!!

(Be sure to turn off music before playing video. You can do this by scrolling to the bottom and selecting the pause button in the upper left hand corner of the music player. Then turn up the volume on your computer to hear baby Cash!)

American Idol Finale: David vs. David

2008-05-21T14:25:00.006-06:00

Yes, we follow AI! Though this season hasn't been quite as exciting as previous seasons, we're still hooked and follow just about every week.

So, tonight's the big night! Hubby and I are actually making a date out of it. I know who Tim's going for, but so far I'm still undecided.

What about you? Who are you rooting for?

Calling All Peanut Butter Lovers!!

2008-05-20T12:50:00.003-06:00

If you love Peanut Butter then you have to try this!!!

That’s right…White Chocolate Peanut Butter!!! This stuff is awesome! My hubby brought it home the other day and between me and the girls the jar was empty by the end of the week! Though it's made with white chocolate it's all natural and really not too unhealthy as long as you eat in moderation.

If you love Peanut Butter drop by your local Target and pick up a jar!

The OMG Moments

2008-05-17T21:37:00.004-06:00

Life with 3 small kiddos is definitely an adjustment. In my previous post I said I'd share some OMG moments that have happened in the past 6weeks since Cash came home.

OMG #1--The Little Mommy -our 3 yr old scared us half to death when she snuck into mommy and daddy's room and unbuckled her 1 week old brother from his swing! Cash was swaddled up snug as a bug, swinging in his swing. He had been sleeping peacefully for at least 2hrs. Papi was outside with the girls while mommy decided to get some things taken care of around the house. All was fine or so we thought.

While I was cleaning the girls room, out of the corner of my eye I see little Isa dodging by. By this time I had grown weary of seeing her come in and out of the house for snacks, drinks, potty breaks, and etc… I was on my way outside to talk with her when Tim busted through the house urgently wanting to know what was going on?? I was totally caught off guard and had no idea what he was talking about. He then told me that Isa walked up to him outside carrying little Cash. She was cradling him very motherlike while shushing and loving all over him. Cash was sound asleep through it all. OMG!!! I shudder at the thought of what could have happened. Thank you Jesus for watching over our precious little one.

OMG #2 --Elianna the Pouncer--And if that wasn't enough, our other lil gal is insistent on crawling into Cash's crib with him! Not to mention, she loves to hand him toys and dolls through the crib railing. Yikes!

OMG #3--HELP!!—Typically, every Friday afternoon we hang out with our neighbors on our driveway while we watch the kids play. They love to ride their bikes, blow bubbles, and chalk on the driveway with their friends! This has become a special time to connect and build relationships with our neighbors on our street as well.

Recently my girls have become very fascinated with picking berries. This particular day they had gone over to pick berries at my neighbor’s house just two houses down. All the kids love this neighbor! He’s somewhat of a kid magnet! You can bet when he’s outside the kids are over there talking with him, helping him do yard work, getting their bikes oiled, and etc…

So, we saw my neighbor come out and talk with the girls as we waived at him from our driveway. All was fine or so we thought. Suddenly we saw the rear lights from his car come on from inside his garage and his car started backing out of the driveway!! Little Elianna and Isabella stood there, just barely clear of the driveway, picking berries and totally oblivious to what was going on behind them.

My heart sank! Tim and I both jumped up as fast as we could screaming and shouting at my neighbor, but he couldn't hear us. As we raced to get to our girls, Tim hit a pot hole in the ground and fell down in front of me hurting his knees pretty badly. As I hurdled over him to my girls, all I kept thinking was Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!! I saw my girls look up at me as the car backed out of the driveway just inches away from where Elianna stood. “OMG, please don't turn around and run away from me...please don't think this is a game.” Literally, if she would have stepped back one step she would have been run over. Just one week away from her two year birthday, I shudder at that thought.

Needless to say, Tim and I were pretty shaken up. I went inside and fell to my knees. All I could do was weep. Weep and thank the Lord for protecting my girls. For being our extra hands, extra feet, extra eyes and shielding our girls from harm when we weren’t able to do so.

All of these incidences have happened within a few weeks from one another and all within a short period of bringing our baby boy home. I know that I am called to walk by faith and not live in fear, but the fact that we’ve had such nearly serious accidents so close to one another really causes all sorts of fear and unhealthy thoughts to rise up in me. Thoughts like--can I really trust God with my children? Where is the balance of not being too overprotective vs. being too relaxed?? How do I truly surrender my children to the Lord? These are the questions I have been asking myself lately.

As I submit myself before the Lord, I am sensing a deeper calling of surrendering, to trust in Him. When I think about how to do that i.e. what does it look like to surrender? how does it feel? and etc… the most vivid picture of surrendering that I know of is the recent experience I had giving birth to our baby boy. And when I think about that, it truly does terrify me! Yet, without surrendering how can I truly experience the joy of my children if I am constantly living in a state of fear? Making decisions based on “what ifs?” I don’t want to live in that kind of prison.

Similarly, in order to experience the joy of holding your child for the first time, you must let go, to surrender your mind, heart and body completely over. It’s a scary place to be. Why? Because you’re completely helpless. You’re no longer in control. No one can help you, no one can labor for you, no one can take the pain from you. You are truly in a state of dependence -- dependence upon the Lord. Trusting that He will give you the strength you need. Surrendering is an act of the will and often times a precursor to the joy that follows.

So, as I think about how to surrender my children over, what I do know with all my heart is that the Lord CAN be trusted and that His hands are the safest place for my children to be. His watching over my children in each of these incidences is proof of that! Besides, His Word tells me their days are numbered, so there’s nothing that I can do to add to that even when I take all the necessary precautions. So really, what do I gain by worrying? By fighting to be in control? Nothing. Nothing but stomach aches and sleepless nights.

Though I am terrified, I am thankful that motherhood is challenging my faith and drawing me into deeper waters with our Savior. As I journey with Him through this season I feel joyful, terrified, reluctant, shielded, in awe, in love, and so unbelievably blessed!

Strengthen Your Vocabulary and Help End World Hunger!

2008-05-15T13:43:00.004-06:00

Have you heard of this? Play the vocabulary game and for every word you get right 20 grains of rice is donated to help end world hunger! Check it out! I must say it can be pretty addicting, but hey it’s for a great cause!